2007年VOA标准英语-Opposition Arrests Continue in Zimbabwe as Stri

By Peta Thornycroft
19 September 2007

Despite a rare moment of harmony in parliament Tuesday between the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition¹ Movement for Democratic Change, arrests of opposition personalities² in Zimbabwe continue. Peta Thornycroft reports for VOA that a founding leader of the protest group Women of Zimbabwe Arise is still in detention³ after her arrest on Tuesday.
 
Since she helped found the protest group Women of Zimbabwe Arise four years ago, Magodonga Mahlangu has been arrested many times.  She was picked up again on Tuesday on her way into the center of Zimbabwe's second largest city Bulawayo. This was hours before the two factions⁴ of the divided opposition MDC united in parliament to support the ruling ZANU-PF's proposal for a constitutional amendment⁵ which may lead to a new constitution for Zimbabwe.

The state press and opposition legislators both hailed the moment of unity⁶. A spokesman for the MDC, Nelson Chamisa, said the opposition is not selling out, but had to support the amendment, because it could lead to a new constitution with better laws. He said the crisis in Zimbabwe needs a resolution because people are suffering from a lack of the basics necessary for life.
 
Brian Raftopoulos, a prominent Zimbabwean political analyst⁷, said Wednesday the amendment is a confidence building exercise and part of the South African-backed mediation⁸ between the two political parties. 

Despite the moment, repression⁹ continues and, on Wednesday, Mahlangu was still in detention but had seen her lawyers.

When she was picked up, she was held in a cell with activists¹⁰ from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. The ZCTU had called for a two-day national strike beginning Wednesday, but few workers heeded¹¹ their call.
 
Last week, the MDC in Harare reported that Jabulani Chiwoka, who intended to stand in rural elections next year,  was stabbed to death in Marondera, a small town 120 km southeast of Harare.
 
One of his associates, Tafirenyika Nyandoro, was injured in the attack. The MDC said Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is investigating.

Police were not available for comment Wednesday on the latest arrests.

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 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

3 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

4 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

5 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

9 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

10 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》

11 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》