2006年VOA标准英语-Former Separatist Wins Election as Aceh's Gover

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Banda Aceh, Indonesia
29 December 2006
 
watch Aceh Election report

A former separatist rebel has been elected governor in Indonesia's tsunami¹-ravaged province of Aceh, following its first ever direct elections for governor, mayor, and other top posts. The historic December 11 vote cements the peace agreement between the government and the former separatist group the Free Aceh Movement.  But as VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports, from the regional capital of Banda Aceh, many here say the question now is whether the former rebels can heal the divisions within their ranks and live up to their promise of bringing prosperity to this poverty-stricken region.

Irawandi Yusuf

Governor elect Irawandi Yusuf, a former member of the Free Aceh Movement, known as GAM, campaigned across Aceh during the run-up to the December 11 elections - promising² economic improvements and free education for all of Aceh's children.

Although the offficial election results will not be announced until early January, international observers and a quick count have Irawandi winning by a large margin³.  Capitalizing on GAM's popularity, Irawandi played to the crowd, using Acehnese music and magic acts to entertain the multitudes as he promised to solve Aceh's problems.

This election would have been unthinkable before the Indian Ocean tsunami roared across Aceh 2 years ago killing⁴ more than 160,000 people and destroying most of the infrastructure⁵. But that same disaster paved the way for Jakarta and GAM to sign a peace agreement in August 2005, ending nearly three decades of war that claimed more than 15,000 lives.

While both the government and GAM pledged to help rebuild Aceh, the elections, which are part of the peace agreement, also exposed divisions within the former rebel movement.

Sidney Jones, the Southeast Asia Project Director of the International Crisis Group in Jakarta says the split pits those who stayed in Aceh to fight during the war against those who fled to Sweden, where GAM maintained a government in exile.  She says it could hurt GAM's political future. "It's less over issues, the split, than it is over perceptions of what Aceh is and should become and perceptions over who did what during the conflict. I think it does have ramifications⁶ for the future because I just think it will be all that much harder to organize a political party when you have this infighting."

In keeping with the peace accord, GAM will be forming its own political party soon, with hopes of fielding candidates for the national elections in 2009.

While GAM spokesman Bakhtiar Abdullah acknowledges differences of opinion within the organization, he says the movement is still united.  "From our point of view, there is no split in GAM," he said. "GAM is still united as a movement, but of course, in all revolutionary movements, due to the transformation⁷ process it happens, differences of opinion, but the unity⁸ of GAM is still intact, and this will continue to be so in the coming processes and in the coming struggle of GAM in the future." 

For the people of Aceh, the elections were a chance, finally, to have a say in their future. All over the province people lined up eagerly, waiting their chance to cast their ballots⁹. Salah says he survived the war and the tsunami and is not worried about a GAM split because in the end, he believes the movement will unite for the good of the Acehnese people. "With a GAM win I am sure there will be change and a better life for the future of the Acehnese people."

And a better future is what people here want. After suffering years of war and the devastating¹⁰ tsunami, the Acehnese people are ready to chart their own future.

1 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

2 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

3 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

4 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。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

8 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。

9 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》

10 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。