VOA常速英语2007年-Selection of New Togo PM Angers Opposition

By Jade¹ Heilmann
Dakar
04 December 2007

Opposition² leaders in Togo say they are angry that a little-known ruling party official has been named the country's new prime minister. They say the government should be more open to opposition parties, given the country's recent problems. Jade Heilmann has more from our West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Komlan Mally, 47, of the ruling Rally of the Togolese People, the RPT, has been named prime minister, following the October 14 parliamentary elections in which his party won a large majority of seats.

Monday's announcement was a surprise to many Togolese, who are not familiar with Mr. Mally, who was previously³ a minister of urban development.

Mr. Mally succeeds Yawovi Agboyibo, an opposition leader, who quit the post on November 13.

Mr. Mally's nomination⁴ was delayed while President Faure Gnassingbe negotiated with the main opposition party, Union of Forces for Change, known as the UFC, and others on the formation of a new government

"We don't think it is a democracy, we think it is a regime which has come from a different military system to a system that is a little softer," said Gilchrist Olympio, head of the opposition UFC.

The UFC took 27 of 81 seats in the October elections. The RPT won with 50 seats. But Olympio does not think the results reflect the popular will.

He says the UFC actually won about the same number of votes as the RPT, but given the current electoral maps, this did not translate into seats.

He says a government led by Mr. Mally will not last.

"I think he [Mally] is some sort of civil servant, unknown to the public, unknown to the political class," he said. "Our general feeling is that at the stage of the talks between the president and the opposition, the current government could only be a caretaker, or temporary government."

Olympio says the opposition is focusing on reform

"We have to find a way in one form or another to translate the will of half the electorate⁵ into institutions that are in place in Togo, and so all our emphasis is reform of institutions and the constitution," he said.

President Faure Gnassingbe took power in 2005 after the death of his father, President Gnassingbe Eyadema. The new president then won an election that the opposition alleged⁶ was marred⁷ by widespread fraud.

But international observers have applauded both the fairness and the calm they say characterized the October elections.

Ruling party officials say Togo has made progress in democratization and, as a result, has been rehabilitated⁸ by the international community.

As proof, they point to an end of European Union sanctions, which were imposed because of human rights violations⁹ in the 1990s.

But another opposition leader, Nicolas Lawson, from the Party of Renewal¹⁰ and Redemption, says the restoration of EU aid is unimportant.

"The help of the European Union is just a small assistance, it has even become a poison to our people, to our country, because people are thinking we can get out of poverty with the help of the outside world," he said. "No, we have to work hard, work hard, before we get out of poverty."

Ruling party spokesmen were not available for comment.

Ruling party officials have said the opposition is angry only because it did not do well in the elections, and that the president needs to govern with an official of his own party so he can focus on development, not on political problems.

They also say it is good sign the president chose someone young, like Mr. Mally, so Togo can be responsive to the country's struggling youth.

1 jade   

n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠

参考例句：

• The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
• He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

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 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

5 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

7 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

8 rehabilitated   

改造（罪犯等）( rehabilitate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使恢复正常生活； 使恢复原状； 修复

参考例句：

• He has been rehabilitated in public esteem. 公众已恢复对他的敬重。
• Young persons need to be, wherever possible, rehabilitated rather than punished. 未成年人需要受到尽可能的矫正而不是惩罚。

9 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

10 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。