VOA标准英语2010年-Drafting of New Constitution to Begin

The charter is a major step toward new elections and ending the political crisis that followed controversial balloting¹ in 2008.

Scott Bobb | Harare 05 January 2010

 
Scene at stakeholders' conference in July 2009 to prepare for Zimbabwe's constitutional process

 

The formal process of consulting the Zimbabwean people on a new constitution is to begin next week.  But civic² groups for weeks have been training activists³ to educate communities about the new charter and how to propose ideas for it.

 

 
Scott Bobb, VOA
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association coordinator⁴ Olivia Gumbo

The coordinator at the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, Olivia Gumbo, says her group wants a people-driven document.

"We are talking about the right to participate in the governance issues, the right to vote, the right to speak out your view and also the freedom of association," she said.

S. Bobb, VOA
Zimbabwe Minister for Constitutional Affairs Eric Matinenga

Minister for Constitutional Affairs Eric Matinenga is to administer the process.  He says 70 teams of 25 people each will hold popular consultations⁵ in each of the country's 210 voting districts.

"We are in the process of bringing into place a supreme⁶ law which we can all be proud of and which is going to govern us in a way which is different to what we have experienced," he said.

The teams will report their findings to 17 commissions specializing in a wide range of issues, such as human rights, elections and the justice system.

These commissions are then to draft the document, which will be submitted to the people in a referendum.

A new constitution is part of a power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF Party and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The accord brought the two former rivals together in a unity⁷ government last February.  It was meant to end months of confrontation⁸ after controversial and sometimes violent elections in 2008.

The new constitution is to lead to fresh elections within two years.

But the process has been delayed by partisan⁹ antagonism¹⁰ and a lack of funds.

A stakeholders' conference in July to prepare for the process was disrupted by unruly delegates and was only held after the leaders intervened.

Differences have emerged through the years over various proposed drafts.  The country is still using the Lancaster House Agreement adopted prior to independence nearly 30 years ago.

A draft constitution backed by ZANU-PF was defeated in 2000 by MDC supporters and civic groups.

ZANU-PF and the MDC two years ago drafted another document during meetings in Kariba, northern Zimbabwe.  The MDC has since distanced itself from the Kariba Draft saying it is flawed.

But ZANU-PF's secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, says the Kariba Draft is the only way forward.

"The Kariba Draft is work done by members of the MDC and ZANU," he explained.  "And so we regard that as a piece of work that has originated from Zimbabweans of different political persuasions¹¹ and so we feel that is what we should go on with."

The National Constitutional Assembly civic group objects to all of the drafts.  Its director, Lovemore Madhuku, says the process is flawed and that input¹² is needed from all sectors¹³ of society.

"We do not expect that a process dominated by selfish politicians who are not moving because they are not agreeing on what they want to get.  The chance of that producing a constitution that is fairly reasonable is very low," he said.

He says his group, backed by trade and student unions, will likely campaign against passage of such a document in the referendum.  If successful they will then launch a new, grassroots-based process.

Zimbabwe University political science professor Eldred Masunungure says the long-standing political rivalries¹⁴ are a reason for the disputes.

"The outcome of the constitution-making will fundamentally change the political landscape," said Masunungure.  "It will mean loss of power for some and gaining power for others.  That is why it is such a friction-ridden process."

Activists like Gumbo say the political violence that accompanied the elections two years ago is still fresh in many people's minds and poses another obstacle.

"People are saying why are they coming to us with the constitution issue while we still have some wounds which need bandages.  That is why we are also talking about the national healing process," she added.

The power-sharing accord calls for a national healing-and-reconciliation program, but this has stalled because of a lack of funds and, some say, political will.

As a result, some analysts¹⁵ believe the constitutional process will take a long time.

A recent poll indicates many people are afraid that new elections will bring more violence, but most say they still want them held within two years.

1 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

5 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

8 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

9 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

10 antagonism   

n.对抗，敌对，对立

参考例句：

• People did not feel a strong antagonism for established policy.人们没有对既定方针产生强烈反应。
• There is still much antagonism between trades unions and the oil companies.工会和石油公司之间仍然存在着相当大的敌意。

11 persuasions   

n.劝说，说服（力）( persuasion的名词复数 )；信仰

参考例句：

• To obtain more advertisting it needed readers of all political persuasions. 为获得更多的广告，它需要迎合各种政治见解的读者。 来自辞典例句
• She lingered, and resisted my persuasions to departure a tiresome while. 她踌躇不去，我好说歹说地劝她走，她就是不听。 来自辞典例句

12 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

13 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 rivalries   

n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new government was torn by rivalries. 新政府由于各派对立而四分五裂。 来自辞典例句
• Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. 竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起争斗。 来自互联网

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。