The head of an African Observer Mission to Zimbabwe says voter turnout was low in Friday's presidential runoff election and that many voted out of fear. The vote count is under way in the election in which the only candidate was President Robert Mugabe.
在津巴布韦观察选举的非洲观察团领导人说，在星期五举行的总统决选中，选民投票率很低，许多选民参加投票是出于恐惧。目前计票工作正在进行，这场所谓的总统决选实际上只有一个候选人，就是现任总统穆加贝。
Marwick Khumalo, the head of the Pan-African Parliament's observer mission, says many Zimbabweans voted out of fear Friday, determined to get the identifying indelible ink on their little fingers that showed they had voted.
泛非议会观察团团长库马洛说，许多津巴布韦选民星期五参加总统决选的投票是出于恐惧，他们坚持要求在他们的小拇指上涂上不易磨损的油墨，以显示他们参加了投票。
The Associated Press reports that Khumalo said there was a great deal of intimidation for people to vote and that voters hoped the ink would protect them from "the hooligans."
美联社援引库马洛的话说，参加投票的选民带有强烈的恐惧心理，他们希望小拇指上的油墨印记能够使他们免遭“流氓”的滋扰 。
He said even though Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the runoff, many people said they voted for him anyway. Others, he said, defaced their ballot papers.
库马洛说，尽管争取民主变革运动领导人茨万吉拉伊退出了总统决选，很多选民表示仍然把票投给了他。他说，还有一些选民故意损坏了自己的选票。
The state media reported a very high voter turnout. The Herald newspaper said that a "massive" turnout was a slap in the face for critics of the poll.
津巴布韦国家媒体报导说投票率很高。津巴布韦论坛报报导说，大量津巴布韦选民出来投票给了那些批评这次选举的人一记耳光。
But Khumalo and other observers says the turnout was very low, such as one polling station in the second city Bulawayo, where there were 22 votes for Mr. Mugabe, 14 for Tsvangirai and 12 defaced papers.
不过库马洛和其他观察员说，投票率非常低。例如在津巴布韦第二大城市布拉瓦约的一个投票站，有22票投给穆加贝，14票投给茨万吉拉伊，另外有12张污损票。
In March, there were at least 300 votes cast in that polling station. Similar reports have come even from areas, which up until the March election, were considered traditional areas of support for Mr. Mugabe.
而今年3月举行投票时，这个投票站至少记录了300张票。类似的情况甚至发生在那些直到3月的选举之前一直被认为传统上支持穆加贝的选区。
Late Friday the United Nations Security Council stopped short of calling the election illegitimate at the insistence of South Africa. Instead the body said conditions for free and fair elections did not exist and that it was a matter of deep regret they had been held.
星期五晚间，在南非政府的坚持下，联合国安理会没有宣布这次决选非法。安理会只是说，自由和公正选举的条件不存在，安理会对照常进行决选深表遗憾。
Speaking at a business dinner in Johannesburg, African National Congress President Jacob Zuma argued that finding a political solution in Zimbabwe was more important that criticizing events there.
在约翰内斯堡举行的一个商业晚宴上，南非非洲人国民大会主席雅可布.祖马说，为津巴布韦寻找一项政治解决办法比批评那里发生的事件更重要。
"If countries ill treat their citizens, then their citizens would do a number of things and it will impact on the neighbors and I don't think we want that situation. That's why we are calling for a political arrangement that must help solve the situation in Zimbabwe for the good of all of us," he said.
祖马说：“如果国家虐待公民，公民就会做出一些反应，就会波及邻国，我想我们不希望出现这种情况。正因为如此，我们呼吁，为了我们大家的利益，找出政治解决方法，必须有助于解决津巴布韦的问题。”
African Union Foreign Ministers meeting in Egypt ahead of Monday's summit, said international leaders should push for Mr. Mugabe and Tsvangirai to talk to each other.
在星期一在埃及举行非盟首脑会议前夕，非盟外长举行会议。各国外长呼吁世界各国领导人推动穆加贝和茨万吉拉伊举行对话。 |