VOA标准英语2012--Liberian Diaspora Debates Reconstruction, Dual Citizenship

 

Liberian Diaspora Debates Reconstruction¹, Dual² Citizenship³

Former Liberian foreign minister Olubanke King-Akerele, in a keynote speech, proposed a public-private sector⁴ partnership⁵ whereby Liberians abroad can set up businesses at home. 

But, she said Liberians in the Diaspora must return home in order to make the partnership possible.

“I propose that serious consideration be given to the opening of a Diaspora Enterprise Entrepreneur Promotion⁶ and Investment Office back in Liberia. In short, what I am proposing to you is [that] you have to be on the ground to help make what we want happen. You cannot stay over here [in the US] and say we are waiting for the government of Liberia,” King-Akerele said.

University of Toledo professor Sakui Malakpa called on the Liberian Diaspora to be part of the development of their country, irrespective of political and ethnic⁷ affiliations⁸ because, he says, there is no place like home. 

He said this would be possible only if Diaspora Liberians are united.

“When it comes to the development of our country, we must unite our forces because, by definition, sectionalism, ethnocentrism, and tribalism are antithetical to a sense of national unity⁹ and national development. In our collective action, we need to borrow from our National Anthem¹⁰, that is, in union strong, success is assured,” he said.

Malakpa called on the Liberian government to do its part by creating a political climate to ensure that Liberians in the Diaspora are welcomed home.

Journalist and lawyer Kwame Clement¹¹ called on the Liberian government and the legislature to create the political will for dual citizenship because, he said, there is nothing in the Liberian constitution that prohibits dual citizenship.

“There’s nothing in our constitution that says you can’t have dual citizenship. If it were in our constitution, then I think there will be a more difficult route to changing it because our constitution says it can only be achieved by amendment¹³. But, it is a statute¹⁴, and so it can be repealed¹⁵ simply by the legislature and by a law signed by the president. So, it’s something that can be done in one legislative¹⁶ section, if the political will is there,” he said

Clement said Liberia could emulate¹⁷ the example of other African countries like Cape¹⁸ Verde, by creating one or two legislative seats for the Diaspora.

Senator Sumo Kupee of Lofa County is one of the sponsors of a bill proposed two years ago in the Liberian legislature to amend¹² the Alien and Nationality Law and make dual citizenship possible.

Kupee says the Alien and National Act contradicts Liberia’s constitution which guarantees all Liberians the right to citizenship.

“The objective is that Liberians, wherever they live, for political or economic reasons, who may have acquired foreign citizenship, should not be deprived of their native citizenship. Once a Liberian, ever a Liberian,” Kupee said.

Former foreign minister King-Akerele declared her unequivocal support for dual citizenship, but only for Liberians. 

Among the challenges Liberians returning home would face is what King-Akerele called a new cleavage, or division, in Liberian society between those returning home from the Diaspora and Liberians at home.

“The cleavage is those went and those who stayed. You are coming home; you’re going to take our jobs. Isn’t it incredible that you have a new cleavage being developed in our society? But, we’re going to stop it. You are not going to let [it] explode,” King-Akerele said.

Most Liberians at the symposium¹⁹ agreed in principle that the Diaspora has a role in the reconstruction of their country and that they deserve dual citizenship. But, they said what is needed now is an awareness²⁰ program to get Liberians both at home and in the Diaspora to understand that the benefits of dual citizenship supersede²¹ all apprehensions²².

1 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

2 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

3 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

6 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 affiliations   

n.联系( affiliation的名词复数 )；附属机构；亲和性；接纳

参考例句：

• She had affiliations of her own in every capital. 她原以为自己在欧洲各国首府都有熟人。 来自辞典例句
• The society has many affiliations throughout the country. 这个社团在全国有很多关系。 来自辞典例句

9 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

10 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

11 clement   

adj.仁慈的；温和的

参考例句：

• A clement judge reduced his sentence.一位仁慈的法官为他减了刑。
• The planet's history contains many less stable and clement eras than the holocene.地球的历史包含着许多不如全新世稳定与温和的地质时期。

12 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

13 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

14 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

15 repealed   

撤销，废除( repeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Labour Party repealed the Act. 工党废除了那项法令。
• The legislature repealed the unpopular Rent Act. 立法机关废除了不得人心的租借法案。

16 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

17 emulate   

v.努力赶上或超越，与…竞争；效仿

参考例句：

• You must work hard to emulate your sister.你必须努力工作，赶上你姐姐。
• You must look at the film and try to emulate his behavior.你们必须观看这部电影，并尽力模仿他的动作。

18 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

19 symposium   

n.讨论会，专题报告会；专题论文集

参考例句：

• What have you learned from the symposium?你参加了这次科学讨论会有什么体会？
• The specialists and scholars present at the symposium come from all corners of the country.出席研讨会的专家学者们来自全国各地。

20 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

21 supersede   

v.替代；充任

参考例句：

• We must supersede old machines by new ones.我们必须以新机器取代旧机器。
• The use of robots will someday supersede manual labor.机器人的使用有一天会取代人力。

22 apprehensions   

疑惧

参考例句：

• He stood in a mixture of desire and apprehensions. 他怀着渴望和恐惧交加的心情伫立着。
• But subsequent cases have removed many of these apprehensions. 然而，随后的案例又消除了许多类似的忧虑。