VOA标准英语2009年-Zimbabweans in South Africa Have Mixed Reaction

Zimbabwe's parliament is expected to pass a constitutional amendment¹ leading to the formation of a power-sharing government as outlined last week at a regional summit meeting. Reaction among the estimated three million Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa has been largely positive though tempered with some serious doubts.
　
Zimbabwe's opposition² leader Morgan Tsvangirai (r) with South African Home Affairs official Priscilla Naildoo in Harare, 19 Jan 2009

Most expressed considerable relief at Friday's announcement that Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change would join in a unity³ government with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party.

Mr. Tsvangirai, who is to become prime minister in the new government, said that despite outstanding disputes the MDC felt obligated to try to ease the suffering of the Zimbabwean people.

"We hope that the MDC will be respected as an equal partner with ZANU-PF to resolve all these issues. And we hope that the country can begin again to have hope for the future," Mr. Tsvangirai said.

Nomalanga Dlamini is a 24-year-old teacher who fled the political and economic crisis in her country and now works as a domestic worker in Johannesburg.

"I think it is a great moment for Zimbabwe, because now we can go back to our home country and live happily because our schools, shops, hospitals will be in full operation and we will be happy about that," said Dlamini.

Another young Zimbabwean, Witness Dube, believes some of his countrymen will return because life as a refugee is hard. But, he asks, how many?

"Youth in South Africa, and I think elsewhere in the diaspora, they have become very desperate," said Dube. "Their livelihood⁴ is not as they would want. So with the hope and the promise that is in Zimbabwe right now, some would begin to move (back). It is a question of what structures are going to be put in place to it more attractive for the colleagues out in the diaspora," Dube said.
　
A refugee family from Zimbabwe sit together in the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg, 30 Jun 2008

The chairman of the Zimbabwe Diaspora Nurses Association, Butholezwe Nyathi, is another Zimbabwean professional who fled because of hyper-inflation, low wages and political violence.

"This gives us a new start. We believe that if we are given incentives⁵ as nurses we will be able to go back and be able to contribute in the re-building process of the health system in Zimbabwe," said Nyathi.

Collen Shumba is a 42-year-old Zimbabwean who left his wife and four children back home in order to find work in South Africa. He says ZANU-PF did not abide⁶ by all of the agreements it made and he accuses it of unleashing⁷ a wave of terror against MDC supporters and human-rights activists⁸.

"It is time for ZANU-PF to be genuine. I know MDC will follow the deal, but I do not trust ZANU-PF," said Shumba.

Noel Muguti was an MDC candidate for parliament in elections last March. But he fled the country in June after his wife was kidnapped and killed and he was tortured. He now lives along with hundreds of refugees at a church in Johannesburg.
　
Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, left, with Mozambique's Armanado Guebuza in Harare, 19 Jan 2009

"It has been the change that other people have been waiting for. But we still have some elements of doubt," Muguti said. If we can go back can we be really free? Can we not be persecuted⁹? We still fear to go back home because the deal was signed, but there was not any assurance for refugees who fled from the state-sponsored terror," said Muguti.

The chairman of the MDC's Youth Assembly in South Africa, Rodwell Shambamuto, is also worried.

"We are happy with the decision of the National Council, but we are fearing for our president (Tsvangirai) because they may assassinate¹⁰ our president," Shambamuto said.

The MDC has demanded that several outstanding disputes be resolved by the time the new government is inaugurated in less than two weeks.

These include new national security laws, the release of dozens of activists - which the MDC says are being held on trumped-up charges - and an equitable¹¹ distribution of key ministries¹², governorships and senior government posts.

A monitoring committee made up of representatives from each party is to resolve these and any other disputes.

1 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。

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 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。

4 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

5 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

7 unleashing   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Company logos: making people's life better by unleashing Cummins power. 公司理念：以康明斯动力建设更美好的生活！ 来自互联网
• Sooner or later the dam will burst, unleashing catastrophic destruction. 否则堤坝将崩溃，酿成灾难。 来自互联网

8 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》

9 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

10 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。

11 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

12 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。