2007年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Activists Says Opposition Betrays Stru

By Peta Thornycroft
20 September 2007

The division in Zimbabwe's broad opposition¹ movement appears to be widening as a long-serving activist² for constitutional reform has accused the Movement for Democratic Change of treachery for supporting a constitutional amendment³. Peta Thornycroft has this report for VOA.

The leader of the National Constitutional Assembly that campaigns for constitutional reform in Zimbabwe, Lovemore Madhuku, has accused the Movement for Democratic Change of cutting a deal in parliament with the ruling ZANU-PF over the proposed 18th amendment to the constitution that brought Zimbabwe to independence in 1980.

"The MDC's decision to abandon the principle of a people-driven constitution and opt⁴ for a process driven by political parties in Parliament is an act of treachery," the National Constitutional Assembly said in a statement released in Harare.

In an interview, Madhuku told VOA that the MDC had failed the people of Zimbabwe. He said if it is making deals with ZANU-PF, it should disband.

"Only a genuine and people driven-driven process will bring the much needed transformation⁵ of our society," he said.

The MDC split in 2005, but briefly⁶ reunited Tuesday to support the amendment to synchronize⁷ parliamentary and presidential elections next March. Both factions⁸ of the MDC voted in parliament Thursday supporting the amendment.

The amendment had been widely discussed in secret negotiations⁹ between ZANU-PF and both MDC factions during the past five months, facilitated by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Opposition support for the amendment, according to Zimbabwe political analyst¹⁰ Brian Raftopoulos was a confidence-building gesture that he said could lead to negotiations for a new constitution.

He and other analysts¹¹ say if a new constitution emerges from this rare moment of unity¹² between the two parties, the political risk was worth taking because of the dire¹³ situation in Zimbabwe. Food supplies are in short supply and the health and educational systems have broken down. Inflation, the highest in the world, is nearly 7,000 percent.

Meanwhile, political repression¹⁴ continues. Two University of Zimbabwe student leaders, Lovemore Chinoputsa and Fortune Chamba, were arrested in Harare Tuesday for leading a demonstration¹⁵ on campus protesting that all halls of residence had been closed and students had nowhere to live.

An MDC official, Fungai Bafana, was arrested Wednesday in Harare for having in his possession the party's newspaper, The Freedom News.

1 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。

2 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

3 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

4 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

5 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

6 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

7 synchronize   

v.使同步 [=synchronise]

参考例句：

• The sound on a film must synchronize with the action. 影片中的声音必须与动作配合一致。
• You must synchronize your Inbox before selecting additional folders. 在选择其他文件夹前，您必须同步您的收件箱。

8 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

11 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。

12 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。

13 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

14 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

15 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。