VOA常速英语2008年-Africa's Changing Political Picture Reflected i

By Peter Heinlein
Addis Ababa
07 February 2008

It used to be called "The Club of Dictators." The African Union (AU), and before it the Organization of African Unity¹, lists among its alumni such infamous² characters as Idi Amin, Charles Taylor, Sane³ Abacha, Mengistu Haile Mariam and Joseph Mobutu. But as VOA Correspondent Peter Heinlein found as he chased African leaders through the AU summit halls in Addis Ababa last week, the era of dictators is slowly fading, and giving way to a new breed of leader.

The African Union witnessed something rare last week. A constitutionally-elected African leader making a farewell speech as he stepped down in favor of his elected successor.

Botswana's departing President Festus Mogae used his moment at the podium to warn that Africa must change its image as a continent of wars, political turmoil⁴, and dictators for life.

"Strife⁵ and upheavals⁶ will continue to come at a large cost to our development and well-being⁷, and deface the image of our continent," said Mr. Mogae.

Reporters wondered whether the Botswanan leader's invitation to speak was a subtle warning to his Southern African neighbor, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe? The 83-year-old strongman has clung to power since 1980, despite having presided over the ruin of Zimbabwe's once vibrant⁸ economy.

But African leaders agreed not to include Zimbabwe on the summit agenda. Instead, the issue is handled in secrecy⁹ on the sidelines, at a meeting of the Southern African Development Community.

South Africa President Thabo Mbeki briefed SADC on his efforts to save talks that are supposed to lead Zimbabwe to elections next month. But when asked about the SADC meeting, Mr. Mbeki is careful not to violate the unwritten rule: Leaders do not criticize each other in public.

Question: "Hello, Mr. Mbeki, can you tell us about your SADC meeting?"

Mr. Mbeki: "Ask the chairman of SADC. Ask the chair of SADC."

Question: "I guess it is a difficult issue. I guess that is why you are reticent¹⁰ to talk?"

Mr. Mbeki: "No, I am not. Ask the chair of SADC."

The political turmoil in Kenya overshadowed the troubles in Darfur and Somalia. Outgoing AU Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare, speaking through a translator, warns the assembled leaders of the need for urgent action.

" Today, if you look at Kenya, you see violence in the streets, and even ethnic¹¹ cleansing¹² and yes, genocide," Konare said. "We cannot just sit, arms folded."

But summit leaders chose not to take any action that would embarrass Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki.

They rejected a request by Kenya's opposition¹³ for a hearing. Instead of placing the item on the summit agenda, they assigned it to a subsidiary group, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, which Kenya leads. Kenya's foreign minister briefed that group in a closed session, and the matter was quietly moved out of public view.

When President Kibaki arrived, ignoring the advice of several countries that he should stay home and try to quell¹⁴ the violence, he was spared public debate. Reporters who tried to ask questions as he came and went from the summit site were met with a stony¹⁵ silence.

Question: "Mr. Kibaki, are you going home today? …are you going home this afternoon?" Mr. Kibaki, Your country is in trouble. Are you going home today to take care of your country?"

With no briefings and no central clearinghouse for information at this chaotic¹⁶ summit, even ambassadors were reduced to standing¹⁷ around the hallways scrounging for scraps¹⁸ of information about closed sessions.

Portugal's ambassador to the African Union, Vera Maria Fernandes, expressed the frustrations¹⁹ of many exasperated²⁰ summit watchers.

"All rumors²¹. Nothing concrete," said Amb. Fernandes. "I heard that most probably there will be elections."

But there was the occasional payoff. Strolling through the hall in a flowing bronze-colored robe is Libya's head of state for 39 years, Moammar Gadhafi, one of Africa's longest-serving rulers. He is here promoting his controversial proposal for creating a union government, which he calls the United States of Africa.

Question: "Can we speak to you Mr. Gadhafi? Talk to you about the Union Government of Africa? In English, can you tell us whether union government is a possibility?"

Mr. Gadhafi: "Yes, It is possible. We formed a committee from the heads of state, and put down how to make this union government, to achieve it as soon as possible during the next summit."

Question: "During the next summit?"

Mr. Gadhafi: "Yes."

Question: "Do you think you are gaining ground. It is going to mean a big change in this organization, isn't it?"

Mr. Gadhafi: "No, no, no. All Africa is moving forward."

Colonel Gadhafi delivered the closing address and posed a provocative²² question: Is multi-party democracy right for Africa?

"Kenya is a country that is highly civilized²³, and now there are bloodbaths and this is because of elections," he said. "What can we do for Kenya's sake, for the Comoros, for Chad. We do not know what to do and this is painful for us," he said. Under the eyes of the whole world as we kill each other, and fight each other and demolish²⁴ and destroy ... This is what the application of multi-partyism has led to."

But despite the deference²⁵ shown to the Gadhafis and the Mugabes and others with questional democratic credentials²⁶, there are unmistakable signs that the sun is setting on the day of the African dictator.

Almost unnoticed was the outright²⁷ rejection²⁸ of a bid by Sudan to take over the rotating AU chairmanship. The post went to Tanzania, marking the third straight year the organization's top job has been held by an elected head of state from a stable African democracy.

But the question is; Did the summit accomplish anything substantive²⁹?

Sudan's outspoken³⁰ Ambassador to the United Nations, Abdahmahmood Abdalhaleem, says the gatherings³¹ only allow the heads of state to keep in touch with each other.

"I do not want to be rhetorical and emotional to say it added a lot. It did not add much," he said. "If we look now at the small question of what did the summit do for Kenya, for example? Nothing. Nothing. There is nothing."

Meanwhile, the Sudanese diplomat³² acknowledges that these summits reflect the monumental changes under way on the continent.

"It is a new era. A new era when the African Union is trying to adjust itself more and more to the realities around it. Whether to have a union government or to accelerate the existing institutions toward unity or whatever," he said. "So it is a period of transformation³³, a period of great change in Africa itself."

The pace of change is accelerating. Just in the past few weeks, once-stable Kenya has erupted in what the U.S. and African Union officials call "ethnic cleansing." There is new fighting in Chad.

The next AU summit is set for July in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik. But will we see the same assortment³⁴ of democrats³⁵ and dictators? In Africa, six months is a long time.

1 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。

2 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

3 sane   

adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的

参考例句：

• He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
• He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

4 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

5 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

6 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

7 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

8 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

9 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

10 reticent   

adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的

参考例句：

• He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
• He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。

11 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

12 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。

13 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。

14 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

15 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

16 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

17 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

18 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

19 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

20 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

21 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

23 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

24 demolish   

v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等)

参考例句：

• They're going to demolish that old building.他们将拆毁那座旧建筑物。
• He was helping to demolish an underground garage when part of the roof collapsed.他当时正在帮忙拆除一个地下汽车库，屋顶的一部份突然倒塌。

25 deference   

n.尊重，顺从；敬意

参考例句：

• Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗？
• The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。

26 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

27 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

28 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

29 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

30 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

31 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

32 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

33 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

34 assortment   

n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集

参考例句：

• This shop has a good assortment of goods to choose from.该店各色货物俱全，任君选择。
• She was wearing an odd assortment of clothes.她穿着奇装异服。

35 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》