2006年VOA标准英语-UN Makes Peace Appeal to Congo's Candidates

By Nico Colombant
Kinshasa
25 October 2006

The U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is urging rival candidates to denounce violence and promote discipline ahead of a runoff presidential vote October 29. Campaigning has been marked by the public absence of the two candidates and recurrent clashes between rival supporters.

-----

UN spokesman Jean-Tobie Okala  
  
At a briefing from headquarters in the capital, U.N spokesman Jean-Tobie Okala read a long appeal asking President Joseph Kabila and his election rival Vice¹ President and former rebel Jean Pierre Bemba to calm the situation.

"Basically what we tried to do today is to launch an appeal to both candidates, President Kabila and Vice President Bemba, to make sure that these coming polls will go in a very smooth way, because the will of the population is to vote in calm, in peace, so they do not want violence. So that was our main message today," said Okala. "They do not have to disappoint Congolese who have already said no to violence."

Okala expressed disappointment the two candidates have not made any recent announcements to rein² in their supporters.

"Some people until now, mistake the political debate with a physical debate so they think that being a political opponent means you can resort to violence to get your idea prevailing," he said. "This is something we cannot accept."

 
Kabila poster have been burned down 
  
He also said after Sunday candidates must refrain from releasing their own results and declaring victory until official tallies³ are certified⁴.

A European rapid reaction force helped quell⁵ fighting between rival personal security services following first round results in August. U.N. officials now say more than 40 people were killed in Kinshasa, and possibly many more.

Okala expressed surprise the two candidates have stayed away from the campaign trail in the second round, despite receiving assistance from the U.N mission, known as MONUC.
 

UN increases presence in Kinshasa  
  
"MONUC made available two helicopters, we gave them to the independent electoral commission," he pointed⁶ out. "Until now, none of them has been used, so (for) their own strategy, I am not their spokesperson so I cannot tell you why they did not campaign on the field. But the campaign is ongoing⁷. All over the country their lieutenants⁸, people from their side are campaigning every day."

Mr. Bemba has said there are security concerns preventing him from campaigning. He says Mr. Kabila's forces tried to kill him during the August clashes.

 
Bemba poster 
  
On his television stations, supporters have said they will burn down Congo if Mr. Bemba is not the winner. He got just 20 percent in the first round, to Mr. Kabila's 45 percent, but has lot of support in the west, including among many youth who say did not vote in the first round.

His supporters in Kinshasa have also warned they will go on a looting rampage if Mr. Bemba is not declared the winner. During the campaigning, they have complained of police intimidation⁹ and abuse, including incidents of torture.

These are the first open presidential elections in the mineral rich Congo following decades of brutal¹⁰ dictatorship, plundering¹¹ of resources and years of armed conflict that pulled in half a dozen neighboring countries.

1 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。

2 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

3 tallies   

n.账( tally的名词复数 )；符合；（计数的）签；标签v.计算，清点( tally的第三人称单数 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• Cash on hand tallies with the figure in the accounts. 现款跟账上的数目没有出入。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He tallies his own marks. 他把自己的得分记了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

5 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 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。

8 lieutenants   

n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员

参考例句：

• In the army, lieutenants are subordinate to captains. 在陆军中，中尉是上尉的下级。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lieutenants now cap at 1.5 from 1. Recon at 1. 中尉现在由1人口增加的1.5人口。侦查小组成员为1人口。 来自互联网

9 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。

10 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

11 plundering   

掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The troops crossed the country, plundering and looting as they went. 部队经过乡村，一路抢劫掳掠。
• They amassed huge wealth by plundering the colonies. 他们通过掠夺殖民地聚敛了大笔的财富。