VOA标准英语2008年-US Zimbabwe Envoy Appeals for Election Observer

By David Gollust
State Department
13 June 2008

U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee said Friday international monitoring may provide the only hope for a fair election in Zimbabwe, where voters go to the polls for a presidential runoff June 27. McGee says President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party colleagues will do anything they feel they have to in order to stay in power. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　

AmbassadorJames McGee (file)

Ambassador McGee, who has assumed a high public profile against electoral abuses, is hardly optimistic about chances for a free election, saying government-inspired violence and fear have already made a "travesty¹" of the process.

But he says outside monitoring could deter² ballot³ box stuffing and other extreme tactics that could extinguish any hope for political change in Zimbabwe.

In a telephone conference call with Washington reporters, McGee said as many as 500 monitors are expected from the southern African regional grouping SADC and up to 80 from the African Union, and that U.S. and other diplomats⁵ are continuing to press for more.

He said outside observers need to arrive as soon as possible and fan out into countryside to demonstrate to voters that they can safely cast ballots⁶.

"The larger number of election observers that we can get out into the field, the better chance of this happening, the better chance of us having free and fair elections in this country," he explained. "Additionally, I think the United States government is continuing to look at all its options on how to deal with this situation here. But as I mentioned earlier, this government absolutely does not care. They could care less what we or anyone else thinks of them and they will continue to do everything they can to win this election and continue in power."
　

Morgan Tsvangirai gets off his campaign bus in Harare, 11 Jun 2008

The runoff pits Mr. Mugabe against Morgan Tsvangirai of the opposition⁷ Movement for Democratic Change. The MDC leader finished first in the initial round of voting March 29 though election officials said he did not get the outright⁸ majority needed to avoid the runoff.

U.S. envoy⁹ McGee called for the immediate¹⁰ release of the MDC's second-ranking official, Tendai Biti, who was arrested Thursday on his return to Harare after several weeks abroad, and reportedly will face treason charges, which could carry the possibility of a death penalty.

A veteran diplomat⁴ who has served in other world trouble spots, McGee nonetheless said he had never seen anything like the degree of government violence and intimidation¹¹ that has accompanied Zimbabwe's runoff campaign, during which he said as many as 3,000 people may have been injured severely¹² enough to require hospitalization.

He nonetheless said he expected a sizeable election turnout from Zimbabweans who feel they have nothing further to lose by going to the polls.

"What I would say to the people of Zimbabwe is that you need to make a stand," he added. "I think there are a lot of good-willed people here in Zimbabwe. There are a lot of people that are eager to see change. We have a lot of brave people who are actually putting their lives on the line, trying to help this country towards a democratic future. But I think more people here in Zimbabwe need to step up."

McGee said it is unfortunate that as many as four million Zimbabweans have as he put it, "voted with their feet" by fleeing the country amid the turmoil¹³ of recent months.

He said a similar number of people still in the country could be adversely¹⁴ affected¹⁵ by the ban the government announced last week on activities of international aid groups.

1 travesty   

n.歪曲，嘲弄，滑稽化

参考例句：

• The trial was a travesty of justice.这次审判嘲弄了法律的公正性。
• The play was,in their view,a travesty of the truth.这个剧本在他们看来是对事实的歪曲。

2 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

3 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

4 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。

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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》

7 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。

8 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

9 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

11 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

12 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

13 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

14 adversely   

ad.有害地

参考例句：

• We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
• Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。

15 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。