VOA常速英语2007-Togo Security Forces Stand Guard During Legislat

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
01 October 2007

In Togo, 6,000 security troops are on guard for the official start of legislative¹ campaigning for October 14 elections. Candidates are promoting reconciliation² in the West African country where recent election violence has killed hundreds and exiled tens of thousands. Phuong Tran has more from VOA's West Africa Bureau in Dakar.

The head of security forces for the legislative election, Colonel Mateindou Mompion, says this is the largest security force deployed³ by the government before an election. The colonel says this election will be different from previous elections that have been rocked by accusations⁴ of fraud and deadly clashes between supporters of the long-time ruling Rally for the Togolese People and opposition⁵ parties.

Some human rights observers accused security forces in the 2005 election of clubbing civilians⁶, stealing ballot⁷ boxes and ransacking⁸ homes in opposition strongholds, charges security forces denied.

Contested 2005 election results that installed President Faure Gnassingbe, who took the place of his late father, led to violence that sent tens of thousands fleeing.

The United Nations has begun helping⁹ a group of Togolese refugees return home, giving priority to those who want to get back in time to vote.

Colonel Mompion says the Togolese are ready to leave behind this violent election history. He says the future is what counts now.

Mompion says guaranteeing election security is a huge responsibility, for which the military has been preparing for months.

Togolese journalist Modeste Messavussu says voters feel the difference in this election period because of government radio and television announcements discouraging violence, and the high number of state police and U.N. human-rights observers already on the streets.

The U.N. human-rights mission, set up after the 2005 presidential election, has installed five telephone antennas¹⁰ throughout the country, set up two telephone numbers for people to report election-related violence, and trained almost 500 young voters to help at the polls.

Opposition leaders largely boycotted¹¹ the last legislative election in 2002, accusing organizers of fraud. Many of them are now calling for reconciliation.

Long-time exiled opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio asked his supporters to join him at the polls, his first time to vote since multi-party elections were organized in Togo in 1993.

Opposition candidate with the African People's Democratic Convention and current government minister, Leopold Gninvinvi, says Togolese people are tired of uncertainty¹² and unstable¹³ dysfunctional institutions. He says the next legislature needs to work toward a separation of powers and to protect human rights in politics.

More than 2,000 candidates from more than 30 parties are competing for 81 positions. The European Union will send about 100 election observers who will join thousands of others in monitoring the already twice-delayed polls. The European Union has said it will restore full aid, partially¹⁴ cut off since 1993, if the country conducts a fair and transparent¹⁵ election.

1 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

2 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

3 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

4 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

5 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。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

8 ransacking   

v.彻底搜查( ransack的现在分词 )；抢劫，掠夺

参考例句：

• She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present. 她正在彻底搜寻各家店铺，为吉姆买礼物。 来自英汉文学 - 欧亨利
• Ransacking the drawers of the dresser he came upon a discarded, tiny, ragged handkerchief. 他打开橱柜抽屉搜寻，找到了一块弃置的小旧手帕。 来自辞典例句

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 antennas   

[生] 触角，触须（antenna的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Marconi tied several antennas to kites. 马可尼在风筝上系了几根天线。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Radio astronomy today is armed with the largest antennas in the world. 射电天文学拥有世界上最大的天线。

11 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

12 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

13 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

14 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

15 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。