2007年VOA标准英语-Opposition Leader Plans to Return to Congo in S

By Selah Hennessy
Dakar
01 August 2007

After failing to meet a Wednesday deadline to return to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senator and opposition¹ leader Jean-Pierre Bemba now says he will return to the country by mid-September. Bemba fled to Portugal in April, after his men fought with President Joseph Kabila's forces in a two-day street battle that left hundreds dead. Bemba's spokesman says it may still be unsafe for the senator to return to his homeland, but government ministers say he has nothing to fear. Selah Hennessy reports from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Jean-Pierre Bemba (file photo)

Moise Musangana is Bemba's spokesman. He says opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba needs assurances from the DRC's government that Bemba will be safe on his return.

He says the authorities in Kinshasa need to signal that they are ready to accept Bemba and that they can assure his basic safety.

He says as soon as Bemba feels his security in Congo is ensured, he will jump on the first plane to Kinshasa.

Bemba told reporters on Wednesday that he will return by September 15, when parliament, which is now in recess², will reconvene.

Bemba was accused of high treason in March after his armed guard clashed with government security forces in the country's capital, leaving at least 200 dead.

Government Minister Solange Ghonda says parliament still has to decide how to deal with Bemba. But she says it is unlikely he will be prosecuted³.

"What would we get out of hurting somebody else? What we need is to build this nation. It's time for us to put all the politics aside and then to move forward building a strong nation," she said.

She says Bemba should stop worrying about his own security, and should instead return to Kinshasa and fulfill⁴ his role as a senator.

"We should not waste our time trying to worry about this politician's safety. We have millions of people suffering today, and I think that should be our priority," she said.

As a senator, Bemba is immune from charges, but the government has not said whether his immunity⁵ will be stripped following the missed deadline.

This is the second Senate deadline that Bemba has failed to meet since fleeing to Portugal. He already received a 45-day extension after exceeding an initial 60-day leave of absence.

Gus Selassie, an analyst⁶ at the international research group Global Insight, says Bemba, who came in second in presidential elections last year, seems to have accepted that he will have to make concessions⁷ if he is to return to his homeland.

"He seems to have accepted the situation that the election is a lost cause now and his only viable⁸ alternative is for him to remain as a political opposition and he has to make some concessions, including giving up his security team and hand over some of his arms to the government," he said.

But Selassie adds that Bemba's promise to return to the Congo by September is not a guarantee that he will actually show up.

"He was making similar statements before the expiration⁹ of the last deadline, so it is difficult to predict whether he will actually keep his promise," he said.

Bemba was a rebel leader during Congo's five-year civil war, which left more than four million people dead.

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 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

3 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

4 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

5 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

6 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。

7 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

8 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

9 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。