2006年VOA标准英语-UN Has Security Concerns for Congo's Elections

By Nico Colombant
Kinshasa
26 July 2006
 
U.N. officials have expressed confidence in the overall success for Sunday's post-war election in the mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo, but have also raised several security concerns. Some political militants¹ want the vote postponed², pockets of the Congo remain unstable³, while many candidates are refusing to campaign. 

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UN officials weigh in on security  
  
Top U.N. officials say despite all the challenges it is surprising there are not more problems, given Congo's immense size, limited infrastructure⁴, and brutal⁵ history.

They said this was the biggest election endeavor ever for a U.N. peace mission, costing about $450 million. They said the Congolese and Africa deserve it.

But at a briefing, they also raised the alarm on several security issues.

Mission spokesman Kemal Saiki said there remain pockets of insecurity with active militias⁶ and renegade soldiers.

He says everywhere where Congolese can vote without putting their life in danger, they will vote, but in several areas where violence remains⁷ high, and they might be killed, it will be difficult for elections to take place.

He says this probably concerns just a small part of the troubled northeastern Ituri region. Disarmament and reintegration of former fighters is ongoing⁸ with resistance in several areas even as the election campaign winds down.

Election campaign has turned violent   
  
But in a troubled country of nearly 60 million people, U.N. officials said they were pleasantly encouraged by the nearly 25 million who have registered to vote.

They also said the capital, Kinshasa, should not be viewed as representative of the entire country, after anti-vote militants went on a rampage there Tuesday.

Fernando Castanon from the mission's human rights division said protests would not be allowed to take place after the campaign ends, even though opponents are planning sit-ins on voting day.

He also expressed concern that the presidential guard intervened during Tuesday's protest, superseding⁹ the role of newly trained police. 

U.N. officials have been trying to make sure soldiers and presidential security units remain inside their barracks during the election process, but said these efforts are ongoing.

Deputy Special Representative Ross Mountain explained the role of a new European Union rapid reaction force, known as EUFOR, bolstering¹⁰ the more than 17,000 U.N. peacekeepers.

EU troops help with security   
  
"Eufor, in fact, was invited. It was an initiative of the United Nations to ask the European Union to send Eufor here," said Mountain. "We see Eufor as part of an insurance policy if you will. We very much welcome it in those terms. We would hope that there will be no need for the insurance policy but most of our troops are indeed in the east of the country. This is extremely welcome."

Political militants opposed to the vote have expressed concern European forces are in Congo to make sure interim¹¹ President Joseph Kabila, who replaced his assassinated¹² father in 2001, stays in power. They also say it was ill-advised to let him stay in power during the electoral process.

Despite these doubts, Mountain said Eufor was working closely with U.N. forces, and he reiterated¹³ his mission's neutrality.

He also said the legislative¹⁴ election would be very important and would lead to a government headed by a prime minister, which he said would not allow a dictatorial¹⁵ president, under a new constitution approved last December.

In the presidential race, Mr. Kabila faces two former rebel leaders, who are currently vice¹⁶ presidents, and 30 other candidates, many of whom have refused to campaign, complaining the voting process is not free and fair.

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

6 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

9 superseding   

取代，接替( supersede的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• This mechanism has such functions as integrating relations, resolving contradictions, superseding the old, improving efficiency. 公务员流动机制具有整合关系、化解矛盾、新陈代谢、提高效能等功能。
• The issuance, revision, superseding, and withdrawal of all documents should be controlled by maintaining revision histories. 11所有文件的发放、修订、替换和收回应当通过保存修订历史来控制。

10 bolstering   

v.支持( bolster的现在分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• Why should Donahue's people concern themselves with bolstering your image? 唐纳休的人为什么要费心维护你的形象？ 来自辞典例句
• He needed bolstering and support. 他需要别人助他一臂之力。 来自辞典例句

11 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

12 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

13 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

14 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。

15 dictatorial   

adj. 独裁的，专断的

参考例句：

• Her father is very dictatorial.她父亲很专横。
• For years the nation had been under the heel of a dictatorial regime.多年来这个国家一直在独裁政权的铁蹄下。

16 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。