2007年VOA标准英语-Lesotho to Choose New Parliament Saturday

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
16 February 2007

Voters in the southern African nation of Lesotho choose a parliament Saturday in elections that were called early after 18 parliament members split from the ruling party to form a new opposition¹ party. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg.

Lesotho's 900,000 registered voters are to choose a new parliament Saturday in an election that has been invigorated by the emergence² of a new opposition party.

Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili called snap elections in November after 18 members of his party, led by former Communications Minister Tom Thabane, defected to form the All Basotho Convention.

Denis Kadima is the director of the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa, which is observing the elections in Lesotho. He notes that election officials have had only three months to prepare for the vote.

"The main challenge for these elections has been the fact that it is an early election, coming too early compared to what was expected," he said.

He says this led to complaints over voter registration³ lists and identity cards, but, he says, the electoral commission has addressed many of the complaints in recent weeks.

Nevertheless, he says, opposition parties continue to protest that the ruling party has been given more access on state-run media.

The prime minister's Lesotho Congress for Democracy is facing a challenge from the new party and more than a dozen other opposition parties. They accuse it of failing to address poverty and the high incidence of AIDS in the country.

Kadima says the campaign has been dynamic because of the new party.

"Of course, you still have personality politics and character assassination⁴. But in the main, it's quite good to see that people are talking about issues," he said.

Residents still recall an outbreak of violence following the elections in 1998, which only ended with the arrival of troops from South Africa and Botswana.

The head of an observers group from the Lesotho Catholic Bishop's Conference, Tsebo Matsasa, acknowledges the fears remain, but says they are unfounded.

"There were some issues, which some of them were just speculation⁵, regarding having post-election violence. And [but] we have heard leaders of political parties appealing to their followers⁶ to accept the results, and also to be tolerant during the election and thereafter," he said.

Some observers say the short period allowed for preparation of the vote may cause delays in deliveries of ballot⁷ materials and vote tabulation⁸. South Africa has offered to provide logistical assistance, including several helicopters, to aid the process if necessary.

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 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

3 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？

4 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

5 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

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 tabulation   

作表，表格； 表列结果； 列表； 造表

参考例句：

• A tabulation of a function of two variables is cumbersome, but possible. 二元函数的列表法是不方便的，然而是可能的。
• Such a tabulation cannot represent adequately the complex gradation relationships between the types. 这样的图表不能充分代表各类型之间的复杂级配关系。