VOA标准英语2011-Observers Declare Sudan Voting a Success

The major organizations monitoring the referendum on independence in Southern Sudan are releasing their findings on the voting process. Despite a few concerns, they say the voting has been a success.

The Carter Center, European Union and African Union, have all called voting in the referendum peaceful, fair and transparent¹. Each organization's preliminary results were released within two days of the end of voting and do not include any observations from the ongoing² counting process.

There were smiles on the faces of Southern Sudan officials when the head EU observer, Veronique de Keyser, read off her team's findings Tuesday in Juba.

"The headline of our preliminary statement is: 'Peaceful, credible³ voting process with overwhelming turnout mark Southern Sudan referendum," said De Keyser.

The referendum organizing commission announced on the last day of voting that turnout had reached above 80 percent in the south. Only 60 percent of the almost four million registered voters needed to turnout for the vote to be valid⁴.

The referendum on southern independence is the centerpiece of a 2005 peace deal between north and south Sudan. The agreement ended 21 years of civil war that took about two million lives and displaced about four million people.

Southerners were given the chance to choose whether to stay united with the north or form their own country. Early returns from southerners who voted in Europe, Australia and Kenya and a small sampling of voting centers in Juba indicate more than 90 percent are in favor of secession.

Thousands of observers were in Sudan to watch the vote and only a few isolated⁵ reports of intimidation⁶ or violence have come out. The European Union had 110 observers in Sudan and visited 800 centers during voting. De Keyser added that their work in Sudan is not done, despite the successful voting process.

"It is important, I would say even crucial, to remember that this is not the end of the process," De Keyser explained. "The crucially important results-processing phase will continue for the next two-to-three weeks."

The African Union and Carter Center released their results on Sunday and Monday. They said the same thing as the European Union, the vote was free, peaceful, fair and transparent.

Now all the results are being counted at the county level and preliminary results from the counties are expected later this week. Final results will be announced in mid-February, according to the referendum commission's schedule.

Most likely, the north and south will then go back to the negotiating table and figure out how to make their divorce as smooth as possible.

1 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

4 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 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。