2006年VOA标准英语-DRC Election Officials Denounce Speculation

By Nico Colombant
Kinshasa
31 October 2006

Election officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have denounced the announcement of speculative¹ results, following Sunday's decisive second-round presidential election. They have called for patience as results are slowly tabulated² in the race between Transitional President Joseph Kabila and former rebel Jean-Pierre Bemba.

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An election official translated the day's official communiqué into English.

He said, "The media should not raise the confusion to occasion violence and also create the atmosphere of tensions, [which are] useless or dangerous, of which Congolese people do not need anymore." 

Apollinaire Malu Malu    
  
Election commission head Apollinaire Malu Malu said some Internet hackers³ were sending e-mails with his name and false results, and that these were being widely circulated.

He said such information could threaten the stability of the vast mineral-rich Congo. He also pointed⁴ out voting was not even finished.

A re-vote is underway in the northwestern town of Bumba after riots there on election day, following allegations of pre-stuffed ballots⁵ in favor of Mr. Kabila.

Malu Malu's translator explained voting would continue Wednesday in and around the eastern town of Fataki. Rioting there followed the killing⁶ of two election officials by a soldier.

"Tomorrow, the centers should be opened to allow people in the surrounding areas to cast their ballots. But the voting by dispensing⁷ will not be allowed to avoid people who might double vote," he said.

 
Citizens are compiling their own results, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2006
  
Results elsewhere have been posted at individual polling stations, leading to the widespread speculation⁸ that the race may be tight.

Votes now need to be tabulated at national compilation⁹ centers, a lengthy¹⁰ process given that some polling stations are in very isolated¹¹ areas.

A political analyst¹² Mbwebwe Kabamba says many Congolese still have suspicions about the transparency of vote counting.

He said, "These compilation centers, we do not know what exactly is going on in them. There were many criticisms about the first round and what happened. There are people who said having the results from different offices in comparison with what happened at the compilation center, there is a large gap."

Elections poll workers in DRC, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2006  
  
Aware of such criticism, election officials said they have made improvements to secure the data entry of results.

A close advisor¹³ to Mr. Kabila said he was confident, but he denounced a campaign of intimidation¹⁴ from the rival camp. Meanwhile, Bemba's team again denounced what it said was more proof of vote tampering¹⁵ on election day.

International observers who have spoken to media said they thought polling went well, even if turnout was lower than during the first round. Mr. Kabila got 45 percent in the initial July vote and built impressive alliances going into the second round, but still faced a strong challenge from the former Uganda-backed rebel, who is popular among the young and poor in the west and center.

1 speculative   

adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的

参考例句：

• Much of our information is speculative.我们的许多信息是带推测性的。
• The report is highly speculative and should be ignored.那个报道推测的成分很大，不应理会。

2 tabulated   

把（数字、事实）列成表( tabulate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Results for the test program haven't been tabulated. 试验的结果还没有制成表格。
• A large number of substances were investigated and the relevant properties tabulated. 已经研究了多种物质，并将有关性质列成了表。

3 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

4 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。

5 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 dispensing   

v.分配( dispense的现在分词 )；施与；配（药）

参考例句：

• A dispensing optician supplies glasses, but doesn't test your eyes. 配镜师为你提供眼镜，但不检查眼睛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The firm has been dispensing ointments. 本公司配制药膏。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

9 compilation   

n.编译，编辑

参考例句：

• One of the first steps taken was the compilation of a report.首先采取的步骤之一是写一份报告。
• The compilation of such diagrams,is of lasting value for astronomy.绘制这样的图对天文学有永恒的价值。

10 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

11 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。

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

14 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。

15 tampering   

v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄

参考例句：

• Two policemen were accused of tampering with the evidence. 有两名警察被控篡改证据。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As Harry London had forecast, Brookside's D-day caught many meter-tampering offenders. 正如哈里·伦敦预见到的那样，布鲁克赛德的D日行动抓住了不少非法改装仪表的人。 来自辞典例句