2007年VOA标准英语-Voters in Sierra Leone Cast Ballots in Presiden

By Kari Barber
Freetown
08 September 2007

Sierra Leoneans are voting in a landmark¹ presidential runoff Saturday amid tensions in which the opposition² party says their members are being harassed³ and intimidated⁴. The first round of the presidential election saw little violence, but the second round has been marked by clashes between the rival parties. Kari Barber reports from Freetown that police have arrested several people they say were intent on using violence to disrupt the election, the first since U.N. troops withdrew in 2005.

Police find stones and other objects that could be used as weapons in the back of a vehicle at a polling site in Freetown, Sierra Leone, 08 Sep 2007

Police opened the back of a sport utility vehicle to reveal a pile of stones, bottles and other materials they say the men and one woman they arrested were planning to use to disrupt the elections. They say one of the men had a knife.

Ahmed Conteh, an election observer with Coalition⁵ for Free and Fair Elections, says the group chased him in their car after an argument about polling procedures.

"I said you want to kill me? Because of what? Because I am coming here to help my people to get freedom, is this why you want to kill me?," said Conteh.

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Ernest Koroma casts his ballot in Freetown, 08 Sep 2007

The commanding officer on the scene says the incident happened just as presidential candidate Ernest Koroma, of the opposition All People's Congress, was passing by. She says Koroma may have been the target. Koroma's main opponent is Vice⁷ President Solomon Berewa of the ruling party.

At the polling site in Freetown where Koroma voted, he said his party's poll watchers were being harassed and prevented from going to their polling stations in Kailahun, near the Sierra Leone and Liberia border.

"We had to put out a team, because the local agents were harassed and it got to the point they feared for their lives," said Koroma.

Koroma says he will wait until the election is over before deciding if he will accept the results

"I have always made the point that an election that is credible⁸ should be accepted, but an election that is not credible it is not for me to say I will accept or not," said Koroma. "It is the people of this country that will react to an election that is not credible."

Vice President Berewa also voted in the capital. He said he is confident that he will win.

In the first round, held August 11, Koroma led Berewa 44 percent to 38 percent.

Chief observer for the European Union, Marie Anne Isler Beguin, says the atmosphere at the polling stations reflects the importance of the election.

"They are much more serious, we can see there is a tension when they vote," said Isler Beguin.

Lines are calm and orderly for Sierra Leone's presidential runoff, 08 Sep 2007

Isler Beguin says despite the difficulties, the runoff has been well organized and voters are moving through the lines in an efficient and calm manner.

Voter Mariama Koroma, no relation to the candidate, says intimidation⁹ and violence will not keep her from voting.

"It is very important for me to vote," said Koroma. "I am voting for Sierra Leone's security. I am voting for provisions. I am voting for a better life for my children."

Key issues in the election are access to basic services such as electricity as well as high unemployment, especially among ex-combattants from the nation's brutal¹⁰ civil war that ended in 2002. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world with one of the highest rates of corruption¹¹.

Final results from the election are expected to be announced within two weeks.

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

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 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

4 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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？

9 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

10 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。

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。