美国呼吁乌干达营造公平公正选举环境（在线收听）

美国呼吁乌干达营造公平公正选举环境

Democracy is critical to Africa's future.

民主对非洲的未来而言至关重要。

But if democracy is to take root and flourish, specific conditions must be met.

但如果民主想要在那里生根发芽并繁荣发展，必须满足特定的条件。

Chief among these are free and fair elections.

其中最为重要的就是自由且公平公正的选举。

These in turn cannot take place if the voting public lacks access to information about important issues, or if voters are prevented from meeting with or rallying for their chosen candidates.

反之，如果参与投票的公众无法获取重要信息，或如果选民不能与他们心目中的候选人会面或召开集会，就不会带来民主。

In other words, freedom of speech and of the press, and freedom of association, are indispensable aspects of free elections, and of Democracy itself.

换句话说，言论，出版及结社自由对自由选举及民主本身而言不可或缺。

That is why the United States is concerned about the deteriorating electoral environment in Uganda, and the run-up to the Presidential and Parliamentary elections, set to be held on February 18th.

因此美国对乌干达将于2月18日拉开帷幕的总统及议会选举中正不断恶化的环境表示担忧。

Eight candidates are vying for the Presidency, including sitting President Yoweri Museveni, who first came to power in 1986, but was only elected into office in 1996.

包括现任总统约韦里·穆塞韦尼在内的8名候选人将就总统一职展开你争我夺，穆塞韦尼于1986年开始执政，但1996年才当选总统。

He is currently running for a fifth term in office.

他目前正在第5任期当中。

According to Human Rights Watch, Uganda's current election campaign is fraught with intimidation of journalists, including threats or warnings of possible repercussions for critical reporting;government harassment and intimidation of independent voices in the media and civil society;obstruction and dispersal by police of opposition rallies, with excessive illegal arrests, beatings and other use of force by security personnel.

据人权观察组织称，乌干达目前的竞选充满了对记者的恐吓，包括对批判性报道可能产生的反响威胁或警告;政府对媒体及民间社会独立声音的骚扰和恐吓;警方阻挠并驱散反对派集会,过多的非法逮捕、保安人员殴打及对其他人滥用武力。

At least one member of a candidate's staff, opposition campaign aide Christopher Aine, has disappeared.

候选人的工作人员当中至少一名成员，反对党竞选助手的克里斯托弗·艾内已经失踪。