VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Calls for Fair Elections in Zimbabwe

By Scott Stearns
Dar es Salaam¹
17 February 2008

President Bush says there should be free and fair elections in Zimbabwe next month. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports from Dar es Salaam, Mr. Bush discussed the issue Sunday with the new head of the African Union, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

During their talks at Dar es Salaam's State House, President Bush and President Kikwete discussed next month's elections in Zimbabwe, where long-time President Robert Mugabe is facing a divided opposition².

In remarks before this trip to Africa, Mr. Bush denounced Mr. Mugabe as a discredited³ dictator who has brought nightmarish misery⁴ to his people by mismanaging the economy and repressing political dissent⁵.

In a joint⁶ press conference with the Tanzanian leader Sunday, the president said Zimbabweans deserve better.

"There is no doubt the people of Zimbabwe deserve a government that serves their interest and recognizes their basic human rights and holds free and fair elections," said Bush. "That is in the interest of the people of Zimbabwe. It happens to be in the interest of the world as well."

Zimbabwe's official inflation rate, already the world's highest, has risen to more than 66,000 percent. Price controls introduced last June have had little effect in a country with chronic⁷ food and fuel shortages and an unemployment rate of about 80 percent.

Zimbabwe was a big issue during the president's first trip to Africa five years ago. At the time, Mr. Bush embraced South African President Thabo Mbeki as an honest broker⁸ in the political stand-off between President Mugabe and opponents in Zimbabwe's pro-democracy movement.

President Bush now says he is disappointed that South Africa has not been more pro-active in resolving the political and economic crisis in its northern neighbor.

Zimbabwe's main opposition leader says the South African president should show some courage and abandon his policy of quiet support for President Mugabe.

South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister says the fact that Zimbabweans are preparing for elections next months is proof that President Mbeki's mediation⁹ efforts have been productive.

President Mugabe is looking to extend his 28 years in power. The opposition has failed to come together in a unified¹⁰ campaign. Mr. Mugabe's most serious challenger, Simba Makoni, is a former member of his own party.

Critics blame President Mugabe for economic mismanagement and the poorly handled seizure¹¹ of white-owned commercial farms. Mr. Mugabe blames sabotage¹² by Western governments led by Britain.

1 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

2 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。

3 discredited   

不足信的，不名誉的

参考例句：

• The reactionary authorities are between two fires and have been discredited. 反动当局弄得进退维谷，不得人心。
• Her honour was discredited in the newspapers. 她的名声被报纸败坏了。

4 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

5 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

8 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

9 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

10 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。

11 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

12 sabotage   

n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏

参考例句：

• They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
• The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。