2007年VOA标准英语-Sierra Leone Police Urge Calm Before Presidenti

By Kari Barber
Dakar
30 August 2007

Sierra Leone's police are urging leaders of the two political parties in the presidential runoff to take control of their supporters to avoid the kind of unrest that broke out earlier in the week.  Sunday and Monday street fights left several people injured and forced police to step up security ahead of the second round of voting scheduled for September 8.  Kari Barber has more from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

legislative1 elections in Freetown, 13 August 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070901/1432270.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

People look at the results of Sierra Leone's presidential and legislative elections in Freetown, 13 Aug 2007

Police are encouraging officials from the Sierra Leone People's Party, the party of candidate Vice² President Solomon Berewa, and those from the opposition³ leader Ernest Koroma's All People's Congress to hold talks to prevent renewed clashes.

A dawn-to-dusk curfew, imposed by police after outbreaks of violence in the east, has now been lifted following a period of calm.

President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah announced earlier in the week that he would declare a state of emergency if the pre-election violence did not stop.

The first round of voting saw little violence and was deemed free and fair by international observers.  No candidate won 55 percent of the vote, making a runoff necessary.

Sierra Leone Police spokesman Chris Charley says the authorities have done their part, now it is up to the political leaders to cool simmering tension among their supporters.

"They owe us an obligation to control themselves and realize that no one is above the law and no one should take the law into their own hands," he said.

Charley says the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) were forced to use tear gas earlier in the week to control the crowds, but hope they will not have to draw their weapons.

"With their cooperation, the organization that is the SLP will provide a very peaceful environment for them to have a credible⁴ free and fair election," he added.

Pedestrians5 pass in front of a campaign banner for presidential candidate and current vice president Solomon Berewa following the close of the polls, in Freetown " hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070901/1432271.jpg" width="158" vspace="2" border="0" />

Pedestrians pass in front of a campaign banner for presidential candidate and current vice president Solomon Berewa following  close of polls, in Freetown, 11 Aug 2007

This week U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on the political parties to do everything necessary to maintain the peace and order that prevailed during most of the first round.

The presidential and parliamentary elections held August 11 were the first since U.N. peacekeepers pulled out in 2005, leaving the national police in charge of security for the elections.

The APC's Koroma led Vice President Berewa in the first round 44 percent to 38 percent and has received the backing of third-place candidate Charles Margai who took 14 percent.  The opposition APC also won a majority of seats in parliament, previously⁶ controlled by the SLPP.

Mr. Kabbah, who served as president through the end of the country's brutal⁷ civil war, has vowed⁸ to hand over power to whoever wins.

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 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 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。

4 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

5 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 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。

7 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

8 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。