缅甸选举中问题重重

AS IT IS 2015-11-12 Questions Remain in Myanmar Election 缅甸选举中问题重重

Vote counting continues in Myanmar, but international observers say the opposition¹ National League for Democracy (NLD) is heading for a landslide² win.

Questions remain how much authority the newly elected leaders will be given.

Results released so far show the NLD has won 126 seats. The Union Solidarity³ Development Party that is backed by the military has won only eight seats. It is the first free election in 25 years.

“The fact that that losing USDP candidates are accepting defeat is encouraging for process credibility,” said Alexander Lambsdorff, head of the European Union’s election observation mission at a press conference Tuesday.

He said the election “process went better than many people expected beforehand.”

More than 30 million people cast ballots⁴ in Sunday’s election.

Still, Lambsdorff said the vote cannot be considered truly democratic because 25 percent of the seats were not contested. Under Myanmar’s constitution, 25 percent of the seats are set aside for the military.

He also voiced concern that Rohingya Muslims were largely absent from voting rolls and candidate lists. He said the lack of Muslim participation⁵ reflects their disenfranchisement.

Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, said she would not call the election “free and fair.” Robinson represented the Carter Center as an election observer. The Carter Center, founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, monitors elections across the globe.

“And I wouldn’t tend to use that expression anyway, if you’ve got 25 percent of both houses (of parliament) to the military, problems with the constitution, people excluded because they’re Muslim or the Rohingya,” Robinson told the Voice of America.

Words in This Story

observers -- n. person who sees and notices someone or something

transition -- n. change from one state or condition to another

encouraging -- adj. causing a hopeful feeling

credibility – n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real, or honest

contested – v. an event in which people try to win by doing something better than others

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 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

3 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

4 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》

5 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。