VOA常速英语2008年-Crisis Talks Heighten Tension in Western Kenya

By Scott Bobb
Kisumu
21 February 2008

The political opposition¹ in Kenya is holding out the possibility of further anti-government demonstrations³ if there is no agreement on resolving Kenya's disputed presidential elections. The threat has raised tensions in a major opposition stronghold in western Kenya. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from the western city of Kisumu.

At a street corner in Kisumu, a young man yells to a passing journalist: "If Raila calls for mass action, we go."

Others shout: "No Raila, no peace."

Raila Odinga heads the opposition Orange Movement for Democracy. His party won a near-majority of the parliamentary seats in the December elections, but was defeated by President Mwai Kibaki in the presidential vote, which the opposition says was rigged.

Four weeks of negotiations⁴ between the government and opposition have stalled over the issue of power sharing, leading opposition leaders to call for new demonstrations. Protests after the elections led to weeks of violence in which 1,000 people were killed and several hundred thousand were displaced.

Local civic⁵ leaders, like Chris Owalla of the human rights group, Initiative Action, are worried that new demonstrations could ignite the anger that still simmers in their communities.

"If this war happened to break [out] again, if the talks fail, then it will be worse off than round one because now people are more prepared psychologically. Many people are allied⁶ in groupings," said Owalla.

Professor Ochieng Ojwang founded the Kisumu Residents Forum⁷ that is trying to foster dialogue between local professionals and demonstration² leaders who are often unemployed⁸ youths from the poorest neighborhoods. But he says healing and reconciliation⁹ hang on a successful outcome to the negotiations.

"Depending on the results of that process [negotiations], the country can either slide into total chaos¹⁰ or the country can rise up from the ashes and become one of the best democracies in Africa," said Ojwang.

Progress has been made in the talks mediated¹¹ by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Agreement was reached last week on a number of issues, such as constitutional and electoral reform.

The two sides reportedly agreed Wednesday to create the post of prime minister, but remain divided over how much power it would share with the presidency¹². A working group is now studying constitutional and legal issues related to creation of the new position.

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 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

6 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

7 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

8 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

9 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

10 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

11 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

12 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。