VOA标准英语2010年-Zimbabwe Prepares for Constitution Out

Members of Zimbabwe's constitutional outreach team has begun training in Harare before being deployed¹ across the country to prepare for the writing of a new document.

Ish Mafundikwa | Harare 11 January 2010

Zimbabwe took another step towards drafting a new constitution as hundreds who make up the outreach team gathered in Harare.  Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, one of the chairpersons of the parliamentary committee charged with delivering a new constitution explained what the three days of training entails².

"The main objective is to get them to appreciate the nature of the work they are about to embark³ on to find common ground and also to prepare a document which will be used to elicit⁴ the views of the people," Mangwana said.

Mangwana added that as agreed in the deal that brought about Zimbabwe's national unity⁵ government, the country's new constitution has to be based on consultation⁶ with the people.  A referendum will be held after the draft constitution is written.

The members of the outreach team will be split into committees that will look at specific areas.  The 600-member team is comprised of representatives of civil society groups.  Legislators will also be part of the process.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association Vice⁷ Chairman Joseph Chinotimba described to VOA how the process will be a non-partisan exercise.  He says he would like to see a truly Zimbabwean document, which is not influenced by any political party.

He says it would not work if the constitution is written by people doing it for the Movement for Democratic Change or for Zanu-PF because in 10 to 20 years time a new generation will come that will reject it.

Themba Dlodlo from Matabeleland province said he wants a constitution that decentralizes power.

"At the moment we have a system where one man runs the country with a few of his clansmen and a few of his party supporters, so it is a one-party one-man system," Dlodlo said.  "As far as people in Matabeleland, they feel that perhaps a better system of representation is proportional representation."

The ongoing⁸ exercise is the second attempt by Zimbabwe to adopt a new constitution.  In 2000 a draft constitution was rejected in a referendum.  The country's constitution has been in place since independence in 1980.  It was a result of the agreement reached between former colonial power Britain and the nationalist groups that were fighting for independence.

1 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

2 entails   

使…成为必要( entail的第三人称单数 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需

参考例句：

• The job entails a lot of hard work. 这工作需要十分艰苦的努力。
• This job entails a lot of hard work. 这项工作需要十分努力。

3 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

4 elicit   

v.引出,抽出,引起

参考例句：

• It was designed to elicit the best thinking within the government. 机构的设置是为了在政府内部集思广益。
• Don't try to elicit business secrets from me. I won't tell you anything. 你休想从我这里套问出我们的商业机密, 我什么都不会告诉你的。

5 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。

6 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

7 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。

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。