VOA慢速英语 2008 0105a

Updated

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The violence this week in Kenya has thrown the usually peaceful country into crisis. Its economic and democratic progress may be in danger.

The crisis began Sunday after election officials declared President Mwai Kibaki the winner of a second term. On Friday Kenya's main opposition¹ party, the Orange Democratic Movement, called for a new election.

 
Supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga riot in the Mathare slum in Nairobi
Its candidate in the December twenty-seventh election, Raila Odinga, held the lead in early vote totals. He says the narrow victory for Mister Kibaki was the result of cheating.

A spokesman for the president said the government will accept another election if a court orders a new vote.

On Thursday, Kenya's attorney general, Amos Wako, called for independent confirmation² of the election results. But he said only a court had the power to cancel Mister Kibaki's victory. Kenyans first elected him in two thousand two on a promise to fight corruption⁴.

More than three hundred people have been killed in Nairobi, the Rift⁵ Valley and Mombasa. The violence has involved fighting between police and protesters and between ethnic⁶ groups.

There are fears of wider conflict between Luos, who support Mister Odinga, and Kikuyus, who support the president. Both sides have accused each other of acts of genocide.

On Tuesday, a mob set fire to a church in Eldoret, in the Rift Valley. At least thirty Kikuyu children and adults burned to death. They had gone to the church seeking safety.

The United Nations said the unrest has displaced two hundred fifty thousand people within Kenya. Several thousand people are believed to have fled to Uganda in recent days.

 
Travelers prepare to fly home from Mombasa as unrest affects Kenya's tourism industry
Kenya became independent from Britain in nineteen sixty-three. It has the largest economy in East Africa, and in recent years has been the area's most politically secure country.

Kenya has held multiparty elections since nineteen ninety-two. But Kikuyus have long ruled the country, both politically and financially.

The Kikuyu tribe is the largest of more than forty ethnic groups in Kenya. Twenty-two percent of Kenya's estimated thirty-seven million people are Kikuyu.

The United States at first had congratulated President Kibaki on his re-election. Later it withdrew the statement as European Unions observers and others questioned the fairness of the election.

The United States announced it was sending its top diplomat⁷ for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, to Kenya to appeal for political discussions. Mister Kibaki says he is open to talks with his opponents after the violence has ended.

In some of Kenya's poorest areas, people have begun to say it is time for peace. Kenya has had riots and ethnic conflict in past years. But there are concerns that foreign investors⁸ might now lose trust in the country.

The World Bank says it is concerned that the unrest threatens recent gains in economic growth and poverty reduction. A statement from the bank and other development agencies noted⁹ that Kenyan media have launched a "Save Our Beloved Country" campaign.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.

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Comment by Geoffrey, January 5: I have read your article on Kenya, and I would like to clarify that the problem in Kenya is not tribal¹⁰ but political. It is not about Kikuyus against Luos. It is all Kenyans feel alienated¹¹ by the Kikuyu elite¹² who have dominated the country's institutions and are corrupt³. Kenyans on the streets feel discriminated¹³ against the equal share of the national cake and they are determined¹⁴ to equal the playing field in a democratic manner.

 

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 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

3 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

6 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

7 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

8 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

11 alienated   

adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• His comments have alienated a lot of young voters. 他的言论使许多年轻选民离他而去。
• The Prime Minister's policy alienated many of her followers. 首相的政策使很多拥护她的人疏远了她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

13 discriminated   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的过去式和过去分词 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• His great size discriminated him from his followers. 他的宽广身材使他不同于他的部下。
• Should be a person that has second liver virus discriminated against? 一个患有乙肝病毒的人是不是就应该被人歧视？

14 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。