VOA标准英语2008年-Former UN Chief Ready to Mediate Kenya Talks

By Alisha Ryu
Nairobi
23 January 2008

Former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan is in Kenya to begin talks aimed at resolving the bitter political dispute between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition¹ challenger Raila Odinga. Underscoring the urgent need for a solution, opposition supporters and the police clashed again in Nairobi. VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu has details from Kenya's capital.

Getting the Kenyan political rivals to sit for their first face-to-face talks since the election is the goal of former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, who arrived late Tuesday in Nairobi.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, the former U.N. chief said he and his team of African negotiators did not come to Kenya with an answer to how to stop the unrest, but to assist in finding a solution.

"We are here to insist on a solution for the sake of Kenya and its people and for the sake of Africa," he said. "Our message to the parties is this: There can be no solution without dialogue."

The government says it is open to dialogue but sees no need for international mediation². The opposition says there can be no talks with the government without international mediators.

Meanwhile, in a rare opposition-led gathering³ permitted by the government.

Thousands of people marched past riot police in a funeral procession for 28 opposition supporters killed last week in clashes with the police in Kibera slum, an opposition stronghold.

The crowd made its way toward a football field for a memorial service attended by ethnic⁴-Luo opposition leader Raila Odinga, who lost to rival ethnic-Kikuyu President Mwai Kibaki in last month's presidential vote that was called unfair by international observers.

In a fiery⁵ speech senior opposition party leader, William Ruto, said that although the party is looking for a peaceful settlement of the political crisis through dialogue, he warned the opposition would not stop pressuring Mr. Kibaki to resign and hold a re-run of the vote.

"It is not going to be business as usual. Mwai Kibaki better understand this," said Ruto. "We are very categorical that we will not relent. We will stand firm. We will move forward until justice is done in our country."

In recent days, the opposition has urged Kenyans to boycott⁶ businesses owned by politicians and friends close to the president. The opposition has also filed a complaint against the government with the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

The memorial service came to an abrupt⁷ end, when police fired tear gas at a group of stone-throwing youths, who blocked traffic and smashed car windows in the street nearby.

Several tear gas canisters landed inside the football field, scattering⁸ mourners. Opposition leaders sped away in their vehicles as police battled angry protesters.

A crackdown by Kenyan security forces, enforcing a government ban on political rallies, and brutal⁹ ethnic clashes between Kibaki and Odinga supporters have killed hundreds of people and displaced more than a quarter-million others since late December.

At least eight people were reportedly killed overnight in ethnic fighting in Nairobi and in the restive¹⁰ Rift¹¹ Valley province. The government accuses some opposition leaders, including William Ruto, of orchestrating the ethnic violence, which has largely targeted members of Mr. Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe.

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 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。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 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。

5 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

6 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

7 abrupt   

adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的

参考例句：

• The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
• His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

8 scattering   

n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散

参考例句：

• The child felle into a rage and began scattering its toys about. 这孩子突发狂怒，把玩具扔得满地都是。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The farmers are scattering seed. 农夫们在播种。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

10 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

11 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。