经济学人137:我的是我的,你的也是我的

 　　Business Expropriation in Zimbabwe Your mine is mine

　　商业 津巴布韦的征没政策 我的是我的，你的也是我的

　　A new plan to wreck¹ one of Africa's unluckiest countries

　　一个将摧毁非洲最不幸国家之一的新计划

　　A DECADE ago Robert Mugabe's regime seized most of Zimbabwe's white-owned commercial farms. The president promised to give the land to the landless, but instead gave much of it to his wealthy cronies. The country's largest industry was wrecked², creating deadly food shortages (see picture).

　　十年前罗伯特?穆加比的政权夺去了大部分津巴布韦白人所拥有的商业农田。总统曾承诺将土地分给没有土地的人，然而却把大量的土地送给了他富裕的密友。该国最大的产业就此被摧毁，造就了严重的食物短缺（见图）。

　　Now for the encore. In 2007 a law was passed obliging all white- and foreign-owned companies to "cede³" a 51% stake to black Zimbabweans. Despite Mr Mugabe's record, many firms ignored the threat. That was a mistake.

　　现在又到了悲剧重演的时刻。2007年通过了一部法律，要求所有白人以及外资公司必须将自己51%的股筹割让给津巴布韦黑人。尽管有穆加比的纪录在前，许多公司还是忽视了威胁。而这就是一个错误。

　　Saviour⁴ Kasukuwere, Mr Mugabe's indigenisation minister, has now sent an ultimatum⁵ to a dozen foreign-owned groups. Those that do not comply may lose their assets and operating licences. Their directors may be jailed. The victims include six miners, notably⁶ Rio Tinto's Murowa Diamonds and Impala Platinum⁷'s Zimplats; two banks, Standard Chartered and Barclays; and three manufacturers, British American Tobacco, Nestlé and Cargill Zimbabwe. The deadline for submitting compliance⁸ plans was the end of August; for implementing⁹ them, it is the end of September.

　　穆加比的本地化部长萨维尔?卡苏库维尔现已向十几个外资集团发出了最后通牒。那些不顺从的公司或会失去资产以及执业许可。它们的理事或会入狱。受害人包括了六家矿主，值得一提的有力拓的Murowa钻石和英帕拉铂金的Zimplats；两家银行，渣打和巴克莱；以及三家制造商，英美烟草、雀巢以及嘉吉津巴布韦。递交服从计划的截止日期是八月底；而将它们贯彻执行，则要在九月底之前。

　　Mr Kasukuwere, a rising political star, clearly wishes to appear tough. The law allows firms to perform good works in lieu of surrendering equity¹⁰, but Mr Kasukuwere will have none of this. He also rejects an idea, floated by Zimplats, that firms could sell their shares to black Zimbabweans by listing them on the stock exchange. Instead, he wants them to give a 51% stake to a sovereign-wealth fund, with no guarantee of any compensation. All mines worth more than $1 are affected¹¹. "The minerals…already belong to us," smiles Mr Kasukuwere, "so why should we pay?"

　　卡苏库维尔，一位冉冉升起的政治明星，明显试图表现强硬姿态。法律允许公司通过做善事来替代放弃股票，但是卡苏库维尔不会采取其中任何一种方式。他还反对由Zimplats提出的一个主意，该主意提议商家可以在证券交易所上市，将股份出售给津巴布韦黑人。卡苏库维尔希望商家将51%的股筹投入主权财富基金，但不承诺给予商家任何补偿。任何价值超过一美元的矿场都受到影响。"矿产……早已是我们的，"卡苏库维尔露出微笑，"所以我们凭什么还要付钱？"

　　David Brown, the boss of Impala Platinum, says he is "confident that the 51% will not happen" and that a "more appropriate level of ownership" will ultimately be agreed. Otherwise, foreign investment in Zimbabwe will drop off a cliff and sink beneath the waves.

　　英帕拉铂金的老板大卫?布朗说他"有信心那51%的要求不会发生"并且一个"更合适的所有权标准"将最终获得同意。否则，外国在津巴布韦的投资将落入万劫不复的深渊。

　　Some companies are considering suing Mr Kasukuwere for exceeding his legal powers. A parliamentary committee dominated by Mr Mugabe's opponents says that he has. But relying on the rule of law in Zimbabwe is like asking a crocodile not to eat you. As an industry expert furiously puts it: "This is pure plunder—just like the farms."

　　有些公司在考虑控诉卡苏库维尔过分行使了他的法律权力。一个由穆加比的对手主导的议会委员会声称他已经这样做了。然而依靠津巴布韦的法律条文就像央求一条鳄鱼不要吃掉你一样。正如一个产业专家愤懑地指出的那样："这是赤裸裸的抢劫——就像对那些农田一样。"

1 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

2 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

3 cede   

v.割让，放弃

参考例句：

• The debater refused to cede the point to her opponent.辩论者拒绝向她的对手放弃其主张。
• Not because I'm proud.In fact,in front of you I cede all my pride.这不是因为骄傲，事实上我在你面前毫无骄傲可言。

4 saviour   

n.拯救者，救星

参考例句：

• I saw myself as the saviour of my country.我幻想自己为国家的救星。
• The people clearly saw her as their saviour.人们显然把她看成了救星。

5 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

6 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

7 platinum   

n.白金

参考例句：

• I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
• Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

8 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

9 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

10 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。