VOA标准英语2008年-Mauritania's Students Feel Disillusioned With D

University students in Mauritania say they feel disillusioned¹ with democracy, one year after a series of elections ended years of military-dominated rule. They say it seems corruption², insecurity and their prospects³ for a better life are getting worse, not better, even though they now have a government representative of the people's will. VOA's Nico Colombant has more with reporting by Ebrima Sillah, in this the fifth and last part of a series on life in post-election Mauritania.
　
Students complain democracy seems to change little for the better

One student, Ahmed, says this is his first chance to express his views on the elected government of President Ould Sidi Mohamed Cheikh Abadallahi.

He did not mince⁴ his words. And he said if others had a chance to speak their mind, they would share similar thoughts.

"The reality, there is no one if you ask him in his daily life, in his normal situation, he will say everything is worse," he said. "In fact in the last decade, we had security. But these days, things are going worse, because there is no security, the prices are going up, everything is higher here. The life is very hard. You cannot imagine."

Long-time ruler Maaouiya Ould Taya was deposed⁵ in a military coup⁶ in 2005. He was replaced by Ely Ould Mohammed Vall, until the military leader handed over power to the elected President Abadallahi.

Ahmed says he has been disappointed by all leaders, but was hoping an elected one would be better.

"I think the problem is the leader. Mauritania has never had a special or capable man who has the will to invent, to create a new country, to create a new country in his will, in his values, and me I am very disappointed," he added.

Another student, Boubacar Muhtarr Bah, says government ministers seem to just care about their own political future and enrichment. He says the focus should be on students like himself.

"My hope is to be well developed," he explained. "We need more education. People will be very educated. Government should do the [utmost] to reduce the poverty and to help young people."
　
Democracy has not meant instant riches for Mauritania's residents

The coup in 2005 coincided with announcements Mauritania was about to start extracting oil for export. But another student, Muhammed Ould Muhammed Val, does not believe the government will use oil money for the people's benefit.

"I think oil resources [are] not important to Mauritanians," he said. "We know, we hear the news, Mauritania has oil. But I do not see anything, anything to indicate there is oil in Mauritania. So Mauritinia still is powerless, still has lots of poverty and illness. There is no economic indicator⁷ there is oil."

The main opposition⁸ leader, Ahmed Ould Daddah, recently claimed the government was mismanaging oil revenues, prompting the recently-named Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef to accuse him of "misleading public opinion."

Muhammed Lamin Ould Sidi, a student who came from his village to Nouakchott on a state scholarship, says he is still optimistic democracy can change Mauritania for the better.

"I think democracy is to give equality," he said. "It is the most important. In Mauritania, there are different races."
　
Mauritian university students face grim job prospects once they graduate

But he is quick to add students are getting impatient.

"We are here at the university. We are studying, but we do not know, just when we finish our school what we are going to do," he added.

He says his two older brothers who finished university ahead of him are still jobless. Students say many young men are turning more and more to religion, because they say normal schooling⁹ and work just do not give them any prospects for fulfillment.

Meanwhile, the ruling party has been suffering defections in recent weeks, with top officials saying they are also disappointed with the party's governance.

Government officials say it takes time for democracy to show results, and that they are working hard to secure outside help to improve infrastructure¹⁰. They also say criticism is a healthy sign of a democracy trying to establish itself.

　

 

1 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 mince   

n.切碎物；v.切碎，矫揉做作地说

参考例句：

• Would you like me to mince the meat for you?你要我替你把肉切碎吗？
• Don't mince matters,but speak plainly.不要含糊其词，有话就直说吧。

5 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

7 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

8 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。

9 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。