VOA标准英语2009-Zimbabwe's Unity Government Struggles to Move Ah

Zimbabwe's unity¹ government is struggling to win financial support from western countries because very little progress is being made to resolve key outstanding issues, including those involving the Movement for Democratic Change, that prevent the government from meeting benchmarks set by countries.
　
Morgan Tsvangirai is sworn in as Zimbabwe's prime minister at the State House in Harare, 11 Feb 2009

Despite the inclusion of the Movement for Democratic Change in the unity government in January, the prosecution² of MDC legislators on what human rights lawyers say are trumped³ up charges continues. Others are awaiting trial.

But lawyers say that no perpetrators of violence against the MDC have been charged and that there is no investigation⁴ into last October's kidnapping of eighteen MDC and humanitarian⁵ workers. Seven MDC supporters remain missing.

Western governments say it is this type of activity that is against the rule of law and needs to end.

Last November, the Southern African Development Community, SADC, instructed the Zimbabwean leaders to settle disputes over the allocation of governor positions after the unity government was sworn in.

Nothing has been achieved on that level yet after many meetings of principals. Nor, despite the global political agreement signed by the parties last September, have top civil servant jobs been re-allocated based on the outcome of elections in March 2008.
　
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, 10 May 2009

All the top civil servants are known supporters of Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF.

Farmers say commitment to the rule of law as demanded by the political agreement is ignored by ZANU-PF in its continued attempts to fast track prosecutions⁶ aimed at forcing white farmers from their land, even though most have existing court orders allowing them to remain.

Most say they failed to meet the mid⁷ May deadline for planting wheat because of ongoing⁸ disruptions and prosecutions.

The independent Zimbabwe Media Monitoring Project says in its latest report that the public media continues to be partisan⁹ towards ZANU-PF.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai urged SADC and the African Union to bring an end to what he typified a deadlock¹⁰ over these issues. The two organizations are guarantors of the global political agreement between the parties.

But experts say it requires the agreement of at least two of three parties to the agreement to declare a deadlock before the African organizations would arbitrate.

Eldred Masunungure a political scientist at the University of Zimbabwe tells VOA that without progress on the outstanding issues the unity is "dysfunctional" and will be unable to move the country forward. He said that Mr. Tsvangirai appeared to believe, after many meetings with Mr Mugabe, that "quiet diplomacy¹¹ was more useful than megaphone diplomacy."

Masunungure added that the MDC's national council has been insisting that Mr. Tsvangirai become more militant¹² and aggressive in his dealings with Mr Mugabe.

Western governments have been providing direct humanitarian assistance to Zimbabweans, but have not given any assistance to the government for its programs. They are looking for progress on resolving the outstanding issues and meeting other benchmarks, mostly involving governance. Western diplomats¹³ say they are not encouraged by progress so far.

Although the World Bank has given a grant of $22 million and the International Monetary¹⁴ Fund is now in Zimbabwe for consultations¹⁵, arrears¹⁶ have to be paid before any substantial loans will emerge.

So far neither SADC chairman, South African president Jacob Zuma, nor the AU have responded to Mr. Tsvangirai's call on Sunday for the two organisations to exercise their commitments as guarantors of the agreement.

1 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。

2 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

3 trumped   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 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。

6 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

8 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

9 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

10 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

11 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

12 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

13 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

15 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 arrears   

n.到期未付之债，拖欠的款项；待做的工作

参考例句：

• The payments on that car loan are in arrears by three months.购车贷款的偿付被拖欠了三个月。
• They are urgent for payment of arrears of wages.他们催讨拖欠的工钱。