VOA标准英语2011--Communication-Based Revolution Mobilizes

Communication-Based Revolution Mobilizes Senegalese Youth

Senegal's president is facing the most serious political unrest of his career just months before seeking re-election to a third term. Aligned¹ against him is a group of young Senegalese musicians and journalists called "Y'en A Marre" or "We've Had Enough".
Keur Gui de Kaolack is one of Senegal’s most popular hip-hop groups. So when band members joined a protest movement against the political establishment, rapper Omar Toure says young fans followed. "Hip-hop is a tremendous power in Senegal. Young people can identify with it. Young Africans are conscious," he said.
The opposition² group Y’en A Marre organized a rally in June that forced the ruling party to give up on plans to change the constitution, to make it easier for President Abdoulaye Wade³ to win re-election in February.
With violence outside the National Assembly, lawmakers backed away from proposals to establish a vice⁴ presidency⁵ and to reduce the percentage of votes needed to be elected president. Y'en A Marre's Fadel Barro says the group prefers peaceful change. "That is not Y’en A Marrist. Y’en A Marre does not agree with that, even if we respect the liberty and the choice of the people to express their frustrations⁶. We think that we’ll make our revolution on February 26, 2012, when millions of young Senegalese will go out, vote and change things. That will be the real revolution," he said.
Y’en A Marre is encouraging more young people to register to vote through a door-to-door community outreach program, that is building on popular discontent over the president's decision to seek a third term.
Much of President Wade's political power comes from Islamic leaders known as Marabouts, who have long helped to keep the peace in Senegal.
Marabout Serigne Fallou Diagne says the Y'en A Marre youth movement is turning Senegalese politics upside down. "Marabouts are respected and heard. They are inseparable from political action. To go against the Marabouts is to undo⁷ Senegalese society. But the sentiments have changed. Now, there is Y’en A Marre and the actions of young people and they are finished with Wade."
As the nation waits for Senegal's constitutional council to determine the legitimacy⁸ of President Wade's candidacy, Y’en A Marre continues to engage the public through media and music, a powerful combination that Fadel Barro says the president should not underestimate. "If Abdoulaye Wade persists, he will find Y’en A Marre on his path," he said.
Barro says Senegalese authorities are trying to demonize the group by claiming that political opponents are arming demonstrators. But he says the group's non-violent approach is what appeals most to a new generation of voters, who want to see change through the ballot⁹ box.

1 aligned   

adj.对齐的，均衡的

参考例句：

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。

2 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。

3 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 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。

6 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

7 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

8 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

9 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。