VOA标准英语 Mauritania's Military Ruler Steps Down to Run for Pr

Mauritania's military ruler has stepped down to stand as a candidate for president in June elections. The civilian¹ president who was toppled in last August's coup² wants Mauritanians to boycott³ that vote.
　
Mauritania's military ruler Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (File)

After more than 30 years in the army, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has resigned his military commission to run for president.

In a statement broadcast on state radio and television, General Aziz says he is resigning from the ruling military council and the presidency⁴ in respect of the law and in conformity⁵ with its spirit.

He says he is running for president in the June 6 vote in the "sincere wish to build a new Mauritania based on justice, equality, and liberty."

In keeping with the constitution, Mauritanian Senate President Ba Mamadou Mbare is the new interim⁶ head of state. But the military's State High Council will remain in place until the vote. General Aziz says that will both prevent a power vacuum and respect the rule of law.
　
Mauritania's deposed⁷ President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheik Abdellahi (file photo)

General Aziz came to power last August in a coup that toppled Mauritania's first freely-elected leader, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi. General Aziz has ignored African Union demands to reinstate President Abdallahi, saying that would not serve the greater interests of the Mauritanian people.

Instead, he says allowing retired⁸ soldiers to run in the June elections better reflects what he calls Mauritania's "new political and cultural reality."

President Abdallahi says he will not take part in that vote and is urging his supporters to boycott the ballot⁹. Ahmed Ould Daddah, who finished second in the 2007 presidential elections, is also boycotting¹⁰ the vote.

But the general's move has divided some of his political opponents with the vice¹¹ president of Daddah's Rally for Democratic Forces announcing his support for the vote. Kane Hamidou Baba says the opposition¹² should consider taking part in the vote "within the framework of internal dialogue."

The U.S.-based National Democratic Institute will not monitor the vote because it says the ballot is a unilateral decision against constitutional order.

The African Union has suspended Mauritania and placed a travel ban on civilian and military members of the ruling council.

General Aziz told reporters this week that AU sanctions will not change anything and will never be as effective as efforts to mediate¹³ an end to the political crisis.

General Aziz says he is committed to organizing free and fair elections. He says the ballot will not be postponed¹⁴ because 90 percent of Mauritanians want the vote.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

3 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。

4 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

5 conformity   

n.一致，遵从，顺从

参考例句：

• Was his action in conformity with the law?他的行动是否合法？
• The plan was made in conformity with his views.计划仍按他的意见制定。

6 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

7 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

9 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

10 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

11 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

12 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。

13 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

14 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。