VOA标准英语2008年-Cambodian Parliament Sworn-In, Opposition Aband

Cambodia's new National Assembly was sworn-in Wednesday, giving the Cambodian People's Party a further five-year mandate¹ following its landslide² victory in this year's general election. A threatened opposition³ boycott⁴ of the event was abandoned at the last minute, following guarantees from the prime minister that the role of the opposition will be officially recognized. Rory Byrne reports for VOA from Phnom Penh.
　
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, second right in front, with Cambodian PM Hun Sen, front right, in Phnom Penh, 24 Sep 2008

Cambodia's newly elected National Assembly has been sworn-in during a traditional ceremony presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni.

All but three parliamentarians attended the event. A threatened boycott by the main opposition parties was abandoned after last-minute negotiations⁵ with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Opposition lawmakers had called the boycott because they say thousands of their supporters were prevented from voting in July's general elections when their names were illegally removed from voter lists

The ruling Cambodian People's Party won a landslide victory in the elections, taking 90 of the 123 seats available, allowing them to govern without the support of smaller parties for the first time.

According to the main opposition Sam Rainsy Party, the boycott was abandoned following assurances from Prime Minister Hun Sen the role of the opposition would be officially recognized for the first time under the Assembly's newly adopted internal rules.

"He gave us a guarantee that the opposition in Cambodia would be recognized in the internal rules of the National Assembly - with a full budget, with an opposition leader, with the full immunity⁶ of our parliamentarians," said Mu Sochua, the Sam Rainsy Party deputy secretary general.

Speaking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen confirmed that he would "include in the internal rules that non-ruling parties are recognized by the government."

Extending an olive branch, he thanked opposition parties for participating in the the swearing-in ceremony, saying that it displayed their "lawmaker knowledge."

According to Mu Sochua, the agreement should allow the opposition to exercise greater checks-and-balances in the new parliament. She said the opposition will use its official opposition status to help tackle the main issues facing the country.

"We have always voiced our concerns over a National Assembly that is a mechanism⁷ for checks and balances on the performance of the government. The real issues of the people are land-grabbing, deforestation, corruption⁸ and the rights, freedoms and liberties that are enshrined in our constitution," she said.

By attending the swearing-in ceremony, analysts⁹ say the opposition parties appear to be tacitly accepting the results of July's disputed general elections. But opposition politicians refused to confirm that they will abandon efforts to overturn the election results.

 

1 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

2 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

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 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

5 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。

6 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

7 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

8 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。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。