Supporters of Rival Ivorian Presidents Fight Near Liberian B

Supporters of Ivory Coast's two rival presidents are fighting for control of a strategic town near the Liberian border. African Union efforts to resolve the political crisis appear to be stalled over the choice of a mediator¹.
Soldiers loyal to incumbent² president Laurent Gbagbo are fighting rebels who back the United-Nations-certified³ winner of November's vote, Laurent Gbagbo .
Both sides say Monday's fighting began before dawn as they battled for control of the town of Duekoue in western Ivory Coast. Pro-Ouattara rebels say they have captured the town. Gbagbo troops say it has not yet fallen.
Duekoue is an important transportation hub linking the port of San Pedro and the capital Yamoussoukro with Guinea and Liberia. Pro-Ouattara rebels first attacked the town last month as they continue to push farther south along the Liberian border into areas that have been under control of the Gbagbo government since a brief civil war in 2002.
Violence also continues in the commercial capital Abidjan, where pro-Ouattara militia⁴ now control much of the neighborhood of Abobo. Those fighters are led by a man who calls himself Colonel Bauer, who said Gbagbo is blocking democracy.
Bauer said that since Gbagbo came to power, peace has slipped farther and farther away from the Ivorian people, so that is why they are fighting.
November's presidential election was meant to reunite the country. But the dispute over who won has led to more violence. The United Nations certified results announced by the electoral commission that show Ouattara as the winner. Gbagbo said he was re-elected when the Constitutional Council nullified nearly 10 percent of the ballots⁵ cast, proclaiming them fraudulent.
Gbagbo supporters say they are defending a vote that rebels are trying to steal with the help of the United Nations and France. Gbagbo youth leader Charles Ble Goude said Gbagbo supporters are determined⁶ to resolve the political crisis peacefully.
Goude said Gbagbo supporters who take to the streets unarmed are not violent people. He said the assassins and murders in Abidjan are Ouattara supporters, who kill people right in front of United Nations peacekeepers.
Human Rights Watch said pro-Gbagbo militia and soldiers are engaged in a campaign of violence against Ouattara supporters that may constitute war crimes.
African Union efforts to resolve the dispute appear to have stalled over Ouattara's refusal to accept a former foreign minister from Cape⁷ Verde, who Ouattara said is too close to Gbagbo to serve as a neutral mediator.
Ouattara said he was surprised by the choice of former foreign minister Jose Brito and deeply regrets not being consulted about the decision. Gbagbo's government accepts the African Union appointment and said Ouattara is looking for a partisan⁸ referee⁹.

1 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

4 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

5 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

8 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

9 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。