2007年VOA标准英语-UN Envoy Hopes East Timor Elections Will Unify

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Dili
25 June 2007

A girl holds up an electoral poster featuring a picture of former President Xanana Gusmao in Dili, 25 June 2007

The head of the United Nations mission in East Timor says the nation's relatively¹ peaceful parliamentary election campaign period has raised hopes that the June 30 elections will bring unity² to the troubled country. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins in the capital, Dili, has more.

Atul Khare, who heads the United Nations mission in East Timor, says he is encouraged that there have been only a few incidents of violence during the parliamentary election campaign, which ends Wednesday.

"I'm quite encouraged by the campaign process and I hope that the elections will result in having a restorative and unified³ influence so that this country can move on to address the substantive⁴ challenges that still lie ahead," he said.

In April 2006, fighting between rival security forces plunged⁵ East Timor into anarchy⁶, nearly toppling the government.

While a U.N. peacekeeping force the government requested has kept order for most of the past year, sporadic⁷ violence has continued, and around 10,000 people still remain in makeshift refugee camps in Dili.

The independence hero and former president, Xanana Gusmao, is hoping to become the country's next prime minister if his newly formed party beats the ruling Fretilin in Saturday's elections.

Analysts⁸ say Mr. Gusmao's National Congress for the Reconstruction⁹ of East Timor, or CNRT, is unlikely to win an outright¹⁰ majority of the 65-seat house.

The CNRT and Fretilin are among 14 political parties contesting the elections.

Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos Horta, who won last month's presidential elections, has urged the party that emerges with the biggest vote in the parliamentary contest to form a unity government to help heal deep divisions within the country.

U.N. head Khare says he hopes political leaders from the various parties will work together after the elections for the good of the nation.

"I hope that all political parties and political leaders after the election would actually implement¹¹ the political accord by ensuring that those who are selected to form the government, those who are elected to be in the opposition¹², and a vibrant¹³ and dynamic civil society all work together to bring peace, prosperity, stability, and development to this country," said Khare.

East Timor is an impoverished¹⁴ nation with nearly 50 percent unemployment. It voted for independence from Indonesia's often harsh 24-year rule in 1999 but only achieved full independence in 2002 after several years under U.N. administration.

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 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。

3 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

4 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

5 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

6 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

7 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 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。

10 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

11 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

14 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》