2006年VOA标准英语-Mass Identification Plan Ploughs Ahead in Ivory

By Franz Wild
Korhogo
27 July 2006

At least two have died in a series of violent clashes between political activists¹ in Ivory Coast during the past week. The groups cannot agree over a national identification scheme, which is meant to pave the way for fair elections to be held later this year.  From Ivory Coast, Franz Wild explores for VOA what the identification program is and what it means for ordinary Ivorians.

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A long-delayed program to determine nationality of millions of residents lacking identity papers began Saturday in Ivory Coast despite strong opposition² from president's ruling party 
  
Outside the city hall of Abobo, a mainly poor district in Ivory Coast's biggest city Abidjan, crowds are jostling to get in.

The program to register the estimated 3.5 million people born in Ivory Coast, but still without any form of legal identification has kicked off.  Those affected³ line up for a hearing before the judges, who will issue them with a supplementary⁴ birth certificate.

The process may be open to anyone without papers, but only those who are Ivorian will eventually be able to vote in presidential elections, which many still hope will take place by the end of October.

Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo object to the program, because they say there are not enough measures to prevent fraud in the rebel-held north.  They say this will enable many foreigners to gain Ivorian nationality and then illegally take part in the elections.

Northern rebels tried to topple Mr. Gbagbo in 2002 and took control of the north after a brief civil war.  They say northerners are treated as foreigners and were taken off the electoral lists before the last elections.

Emerging with a bright smile on her face and waving the first legal document with her name on it is 24-year-old Fatoumata Konaté.

She says, she has never had any official papers, and, she says, she could not go to school because of that.  She says, all her friends went to school, but now that she has her papers, she says, she is truly happy.

Konaté missed out as a child, she says, because her parents separated when she was still very young.  Both her parents died when she was still a child.

She now helps her sister run a food stall across the street from the city hall.  Customers gather around for lunch.

In order to be recognized as an Ivorian by the state, Konaté had to bring two witnesses, who knew her parents.

She says, the witnesses know she is Ivorian, because they know her parents village.  She says, being a witness is no small affair and you cannot lie.

Saying it still feared fraud, Mr. Gbagbo's party has remained opposed to the registration⁵ hearings and said it would stop them by any means.

This has led to several hearings being blocked by groups of Young Patriots⁶, mainly students who are loyal to Mr. Gbagbo.

Gérard Stoudman, the top elections official on the U.N. mission supporting the peace process in Ivory Coast, tells VOA he is critical of how genuine Mr. Gbagbo's supporters are in their protest.

"I am surprised that they are surprised as everyone knew it was coming since May," he said.  "I have difficulties understanding how this party is so ill-informed that they are taken by surprise Friday morning, learning that this thing is on its way."

Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo block a road as part of protest over national identification program  
  
Last Wednesday the Young Patriots then practically closed down Abidjan for the day, blocking off most major routes in the city.

Registration hearings stopped in most parts of the government-held south where the Young Patriots operate.

This morning in Korhogo in the rebel-held north, the hearings continue though, as they have for the past 10 days throughout most of the north.

Rebel official Cissé Sindou tells VOA they can stop the hearings in the south, but they will continue in the north.  They do not mind, he says, because this will lead to more voters here, where many are anti-Gbagbo.

Sidi Zena has just received his supplementary birth certificate.  He says he is now a proper member of society in Ivory Coast.

"I am very happy that I have got my papers in my hand now, because I can go and vote now," he said.

Before anyone can take part in elections, they still need to jump several other hurdles⁷.  As it is, people from all sides of the political spectrum⁸ now say they are skeptical⁹ that elections can be held as planned by the end of October.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 supplementary   

adj.补充的，附加的

参考例句：

• There is a supplementary water supply in case the rain supply fails.万一主水源断了，我们另外有供水的地方。
• A supplementary volume has been published containing the index.附有索引的增补卷已经出版。

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 patriots   

爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
• These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死，也不愿投降。

7 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

8 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

9 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。