2006年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Mutambara Takes Camp

By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
24 August 2006

Arthur Mutambara, the Zimbabwe opposition¹ leader who returned from South Africa to run for political office, took his campaign to his home district this week. The political rally was the first in Mutambara's birthplace since the Movement for Democratic Change split a year ago, and the first attended by some traditional and spiritual leaders.

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Arthur Mutambara (February 2006 file photo)

Arthur Mutambara received a royal welcome from relatives who turned out in force. Out of the crowd of close to 1,500 people, he estimates at least half were related to him.

Mutambara, a former NASA scientist, told the crowd that a new generation of leaders had to fight for democracy and peacefully overcome the ZANU-PF government of President Robert Mugabe.

The Mutambara village, named after his family in the eastern Manicaland province, became one of the first liberated² zones during the anti-colonial war of the 1970's.

"I am coming back home to talk to people where I grew up and inform them of the decision I made," said Mutambara. "Zimbabwe needs a new generation of freedom fighters, and these are the freedom fighters, and I am coming back to my village to inspire them and encourage them to be active in their own emancipation³."

Chiefs and other traditional leaders, who are usually viewed as being aligned⁴ to the ruling ZANU-PF party, attended the rally. Mutambara embraced their presence saying that they have been mistreated by the ruling party and cautioned them to stay out of politics.

"The chiefs should be a custodian⁵ of all the people," he said. "So we are not interested in having chiefs supporting our party, the chief must accommodate all the political parties in the country. We have always said, Zanu has abused chiefs in this country, so the opposition, the democratic forces should be asking chiefs to stay out of politics. As a chief you must make sure you allow democratic practice among the people so they can join whatever party they want."

Mutambara faction⁶ leaders from western Zimbabwe also attended the rally. The leaders, members of the Ndebele tribe, said they wanted to show people they were glad that Mutambara, from the majority Shona tribe, was their leader.

Legislator Moses Mzila said he and colleagues from the Matabeleland province went to Manicaland for the first time since the party was formed six years ago.

"It is actually coming deep down from my heart," he said. "I feel I am not even forcing myself even though petrol is a problem in this country but we managed to dig deep down in our pockets and I feel I have done the greatest thing in my life."

Mutambara also reassured⁷ voters in his district that an MDC government woulld not reverse the chaotic⁸ land reform program initiated⁹ by ZANU-PF. He said, "We will not take away land from people but we will conduct a productive assessment¹⁰ to see who is using the land productively and who is not."

1 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。

2 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。

3 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 custodian   

n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守

参考例句：

• Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.贝尼特斯坚信他的门将是当今足坛最出色的五人之一。
• When his father died his uncle became his legal custodian.他父亲死后，他叔叔成了他的法定监护人。

6 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

7 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

9 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

10 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？