VOA标准英语2008年-Political Violence, Intimidation Continue in Zi

Although Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has agreed to talks with the opposition¹ Movement for Democratic Change on a possible power sharing arrangement, the country's political violence and intimidation² continue. Peta Thornycroft reports ZANU-PF militia³ are still patrolling vast parts of the country.

Several legislators, who have returned to Harare from hiding places in Zimbabwe and in neighboring countries, say the mood in the country is tense.

They say they dare not go to their homes for fear of being arrested. About 20 winning MDC legislators have been arrested since the elections in March.

One legislator from the eastern Manicaland Province, who spent three weeks in detention⁴ recently and asked not to be identified, said members of the ZANU-PF militia are asking for money from people who fled during post-election violence and now want to return home. He said those who have returned have found their assets, such as food and livestock⁵, were taken after the elections.

A parliament member from the Mashonaland East Province, a ZANU-PF stronghold where many voted for the first time for the MDC - said militias⁶ still control people's movements in and out of villages.

An MDC legislator in Mutare, Pishai Muchauraya, said his officials are searching for many people listed as missing.

MDC branch chairman Reuben Mutewe, 38, from Manicaland Province, who was abducted⁷ from his home June 30, was found in the mortuary at the Mutare General Hospital last Friday.

Muchauraya says they have still not found the body of activist⁸ Emmanuel Nyapfungwe, who he says was allegedly murdered June 20 in Manicaland Province.

Meanwhile, farm invasions continue, particularly in the Manicaland province where six white families and their workers were forced to abandon their homes last week.

The agreement signed by ZANU-PF and MDC says the violence is to be discussed during their talks in South Africa.

Another point for negotiations⁹ is the resumption of humanitarian¹⁰ aid, banned June 4 by one of ZANU-PF's two negotiators, Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche.

The government has started to sell food aid to those in need at bargain prices. But the Combined Harare Residents' Association said only ZANU-PF members are being given access. The association said many Harare residents are at the point of starvation.

 

 

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 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。

3 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

4 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。

5 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

6 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

7 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

8 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。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。