VOA标准英语2009年-Georgians Disillusioned with 'Rose Revolut

Many analysts¹ say Georgians are disillusioned² with President Mikheil Saakashvili. Our correspondent looks at the state of Georgian politics, more than five years after the "Rose Revolution".
　
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili (file photo)

Mikheil Saakashvili was re-elected in January of last year, receiving 53 percent of the vote. Five years ago, he won 96 percent of the ballots³ cast, following a popular movement known as the "Rose Revolution" that forced the resignation of the incumbent⁴, Eduard Shevardnadze. He was compelled to leave office after massive anti-government protests following parliamentary elections that were denounced as fraudulent by international observers.

At the time, there was a sense of euphoria, a sense of hope that Georgia was going in the right direction. But many experts say Mr. Saakashvili's drop in popularity over the years indicates a strong disillusionment with the achievements of the Rose Revolution.

Oksana Antonenko, at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies says a great part of the disillusionment is due to the lack of credible⁵ opposition⁶ to President Saakashvili.

"Which, of course, initially⁷, was not his fault. He was very popular; he came as undisputed leader after the Rose Revolution and he remained very powerful, dominating the political space. But I think as time went on after the Rose Revolution, I think he wanted to perpetuate⁸ this kind of system in which there was really absence of checks and balances, no real opposition included in the political process - very much sort of governing by committee of the inner circle, of loyal allies around the president. And I think that kind of dysfunctional political system which was established has really deprived Georgia from effective governance. And I think today, clearly, Georgia is not seen by many experts as a really democratic country," Antonenko said.

Over the years, Mr. Saakashvili has consolidated⁹ power in the presidency¹⁰ to the detriment¹¹ of the parliament. And experts say there is virtually no media freedom in Georgia.

But many analysts, including Ronald Suny at the University of Chicago, say the Georgian leader has a major accomplishment¹². "One should give him credit for what has been done, particularly the struggle against corruption¹³. He took some very drastic actions of firing the whole police force and recreating it from scratch [completely]. But he has been unable through his rather abrasive¹⁴ and I would say almost arrogant¹⁵ attitude toward fellow politicians to bring them into any kind of unity¹⁶ in order to move the country forward. Rather he's driven many of his allies into opposition," he said.

Public displeasure with Mr. Saakashvili spilled into the streets in 2007.

"In November 2007, the opposition - outside those who made the Rose Revolution - formed a coalition¹⁷ of 10 parties in opposition [and] took to the streets, and the regime cracked down in a way that was clumsy and counterproductive, which raised real questions then about the democratic credentials¹⁸ of the Saakashvili regime, entourage," said Robert Legvold from Columbia University.

Thousands of demonstrators in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, demanded Mr. Saakashvili's resignation. Police responded by using tear gas, water cannons¹⁹, baton²⁰ charges and rubber bullets to disperse²¹ the crowd. Reports at the time said more than 500 people were injured. Many analysts say it was a low point of Mr. Saakashvili's presidency.

Another serious blow was the August 2008 five-day war with Russia over the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia. Analysts say it was an example of Mr. Saakashvili's erratic²² tendency to act quickly, without considering the consequences.

Experts such as Stephen Jones at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts say Mr. Saakashvili's decision to attack South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, was a colossal²³ mistake. "The Georgian army was clearly not prepared for a war like this. It led to a rapid decline in foreign direct investment in Georgia and a rapid decline in growth, reinforced, of course, by the economic crisis. To some extent, it was a humiliation²⁴ for Saakashvili. But more importantly were the economic and political consequences for Saakashvili, so that he could no longer claim to be taking Georgia forward fast and promise that people's lives would improve due to the growing economy because now the economy has slumped," Jones said.

As a result of Russia's victory, Moscow now has firm economic and political control over South Ossetia and over another Georgian separatist region, Abkhazia. In addition, Russia has recognized the independence of both regions.

A few months ago, more anti-Saakashvili demonstrations²⁵ were held in Tbilisi - once again calling for the president's resignation. But this time, the government did not repeat the mistakes of November 2007. The demonstrations were peaceful and they subsided²⁶. But analysts say they could resume at any time.

Suny says overthrowing²⁷ governments by massive demonstrations may not bring about the desired result. "You might take this as a general principle, that if you have revolutionary transformations²⁸, it's extremely difficult to go back to legal, legitimized, constitutional transfers of power - that revolutionary settlements, in fact, are quite dangerous as a precedent²⁹. This is much truer, of course, in a place like Georgia, where the first elected president [Zviad] Gamsakhurdia was overthrown³⁰ by a civil war, then the second [Eduard] Shevardnadze was overthrown from the street in the Rose Revolution and now Saakashvili, after losing his war with Russia, in fact, is now threatened by the street," he said.

Suny and other analysts do not want to see Mr. Saakashvili ousted³¹ by another so-called "color revolution." They say it is essential for the Georgian president to reach out to the opposition and find peaceful solutions to Georgia's problems, otherwise he likely will face more demonstrations in the months to come.

1 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。

2 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

5 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？

6 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。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 perpetuate   

v.使永存，使永记不忘

参考例句：

• This monument was built to perpetuate the memory of the national hero.这个纪念碑建造的意义在于纪念民族英雄永垂不朽。
• We must perpetuate the system.我们必须将此制度永久保持。

9 consolidated   

a.联合的

参考例句：

• With this new movie he has consolidated his position as the country's leading director. 他新执导的影片巩固了他作为全国最佳导演的地位。
• Those two banks have consolidated and formed a single large bank. 那两家银行已合并成一家大银行。

10 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。

11 detriment   

n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源

参考例句：

• Smoking is a detriment to one's health.吸烟危害健康。
• His lack of education is a serious detriment to his career.他的未受教育对他的事业是一种严重的妨碍。

12 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

13 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。

14 abrasive   

adj.使表面磨损的；粗糙的；恼人的

参考例句：

• His abrasive manner has won him an unenviable notoriety.他生硬粗暴的态度让他声名狼藉。
• She had abrasions to her wrists where the abrasive rope had scraped her.她的手腕有多出磨伤，那是被粗糙的绳子擦伤的。

15 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

16 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。

17 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

18 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

19 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

21 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

22 erratic   

adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
• The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

23 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

24 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

25 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

26 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

27 overthrowing   

v.打倒，推翻( overthrow的现在分词 )；使终止

参考例句：

• They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship. 他们成功推翻了法西斯独裁统治。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I always delight in overthrowing those kinds of schemes. 我一向喜欢戳穿人家的诡计。 来自辞典例句

28 transformations   

n.变化( transformation的名词复数 )；转换；转换；变换

参考例句：

• Energy transformations go on constantly, all about us. 在我们周围，能量始终在不停地转换着。 来自辞典例句
• On the average, such transformations balance out. 平均起来，这种转化可以互相抵消。 来自辞典例句

29 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

30 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

31 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。