VOA标准英语2009年-Proposed Kenya Tribunal Encounters Resistance

Kenyan lawmakers are ready to again take up a bill to create a tribunal for trying those suspected of organizing the violence which erupted following the December 2007 elections. A deadline for the bill's approval has passed, meaning suspects' names can now be forwarded to the International Criminal Court in the Hague but the Kenyan government is asking for more time to pass the legislation.
　
Former human-rights lawyer and Kenyan lawmaker Gitobu Imanyara, in Nairobi, 18 May 2005

Kenya's power-sharing agreement was reached last February, following two months of post-election violence that left more than 1,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

A commission to investigate the violence was subsequently created and in October that body recommended the creation of a tribunal to try the suspected organizers. The commission gave the government a series of deadlines for creating the tribunal, warning that if these were not met the suspects' names, which have not been released, could be forwarded to the International Criminal Court.

The deadline for Kenya's parliament to approve legislation creating the tribunal was last Friday. The government introduced a bill that day, but lawmakers led by Gitobu Imanyara, a member of the president's party, blocked fast-tracking the bill.

A former human rights lawyer, Imanyara objected to the lack of public debate given the bill, claiming the legislation would provide a flawed tribunal.

He and others say the bill does not provide adequate protection for witnesses, lacks clarity on how the tribunal would interact with Kenya's regular justice system and does not do enough to prevent the possibility that the government could simply pardon those accused.

"Right now I do not think that the Kenyan government has demonstrated the political will that it should have in terms of establishing a tribunal that can be deemed to be credible¹ enough, it can be deemed to be independent and impartial," said Ndung'u Wainaina, the director of the International Center for Policy and Conflict in Nairobi.
　
Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki (L) and opposition² chief Raila Odinga sign agreement in Nairobi, 28 Feb 2008

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who mediated³ last year's power-sharing negotiations⁴, has the option of forwarding suspects' names to the International Criminal Court. Prime Minister Raila Odinga - who shares power with President Mwai Kibaki - said Saturday he asked Annan for more time to pass a bill.

Wainaina has spoken positively⁵ of the ICC option, but says a better choice might be for increased international pressure on Kenya's leaders to improve the proposed local tribunal.

"We are recommending that Kofi Annan play a more central role in the setting up of this tribunal," said Wainaina. I think evidence has shown very clearly last week that the tribunal that these people are set to setup they want a tribunal that at a certain stage in time, one, they can be able to shut it down, or two, they can be able to manipulate it and subject it to undue⁶ pressure," Wainaina said.

The suspects are believed to include six sitting cabinet ministers and other high-profile political and business leaders. Some lawmakers, including Agriculture Secretary William Ruto, who has been accused of involvement in last year's violence, have not hidden their lack of enthusiasm for a tribunal.

The proposed tribunal would investigate events from December 3, 2007 - three and a half weeks before the election - through February 28, when the agreement between Mr. Kibaki and Mr. Odinga was signed.

1 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？

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 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

4 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。

5 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

6 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。