2007年VOA标准英语-Observers Blast Nigeria Elections; Call for Urg

By Nico Colombant
Abuja
23 April 2007

International observers have condemned¹ Nigeria's recently concluded ruling-party-dominated state, legislative² and presidential elections, saying authorities failed the Nigerian people. Meanwhile, national observers and human ights activists⁵ are calling for a re-vote, and for the national assembly to take over the process. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from Abuja.

Madeleine Albright says election authorities have failed nigerians, 23 Apr 2007

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was one of the observers expressing her disappointment.

"In many places and in a number of ways the electoral process failed the Nigerian people," she said.

The head of the European Union observer mission, Max van den³ Berg, also offered scathing⁶ comments.

"The 2007 state and federal elections have fallen far short of basic international and regional standards for democratic elections and the process cannot be considered to be credible," he said.

Asked if there was orchestrated rigging, the top E.U. observer had this to say.

"In several places, yes, and in others, very magic results," he said.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement early Monday describing the elections as "flawed."

A group of 50,000 Nigerian election monitors, led by Innocent Chukwuma, are calling for a revote.

"We have come to the inescapable conclusion that on the whole the election was a charade⁷. And did not meet the minimum standards required for domestic or democratic elections," said Chukwuma. "We therefore reject it and call for their cancellation⁸."

A monitor and human rights activist⁴, Festus Okoye, says the problems are so serious, they should be handled directly by the national assembly, rather than going through the courts.

"In several states, elections did not take place," he said. "So if elections did not take place in several states, what questions are you taking to the judiciary for them to handle? The appropriate organ to intervene in these trying times is the national assembly, because the national assembly has the overall function of lawmaking. So let them reconvene."

International observers said it is up to Nigerians to decide on what to do in the next few weeks, before all the current mandates⁹ expire at the end of next month, but agreed urgent action is needed and that every possible peaceful avenue should be pursued.

PDP presidential candidate, Umaru Yar'Adua (l) with current Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on the right

Election results from last week's state poll gave an overwhelming victory to the ruling party of President Olusegun Obasanjo and similar results are expected for the legislative poll.

The outgoing parliament denied efforts to let Mr. Obasanjo seek a third elected term. His choice as presidential successor, little known northern governor, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, was declared the winner of the presidential vote, with more than 24 million votes.

These results were announced even though no voting took place because of violence, fraud, and disorganization in many parts of Nigeria. Authorities said they did the best they could given the complexities¹⁰ of Nigeria, Africa's most populous¹¹ nation.

1 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

2 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。

3 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 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》

6 scathing   

adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词)

参考例句：

• a scathing attack on the new management 针对新的管理层的猛烈抨击
• Her speech was a scathing indictment of the government's record on crime. 她的演讲强烈指责了政府在犯罪问题上的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 charade   

n.用动作等表演文字意义的字谜游戏

参考例句：

• You must not refine too much upon this charade.你切不可过分推敲这个字谜。
• His poems,despite their dignity and felicity,have an air of charade.他的诗篇虽然庄严巧妙，却有猜迷之嫌。

8 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

9 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

10 complexities   

复杂性(complexity的名词复数)； 复杂的事物

参考例句：

• The complexities of life bothered him. 生活的复杂使他困惑。
• The complexities of life bothered me. 生活的杂乱事儿使我心烦。

11 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。