VOA标准英语2011--Libyans Optimistic on Democracy, Challenges Loom

Libyans Optimistic on Democracy, Challenges Loom¹

In the first blush of enthusiasm after the nine-month struggle to oust² Moammar Gadhafi, many Libyans are optimistic that the country will be able to move toward democracy with little payback for the iron rule and atrocities³ of the past. But some analysts⁴ are not so sure.

The private compound from which Moammar Gadhafi ruled Libya is flattened⁵.

Youths play on what is left of some of his military vehicles.

University students celebrate their newfound freedom.

But there is serious work to do. The council that led the Libyan revolution gave way to an interim⁶ government, which is to lead the country to elections and a new constitution.

Along the way, Libyans will have to decide how to deal with those who supported Gadhafi, and those who allegedly committed atrocities in the name of the revolution.

Libyan politician Hadi Shalluf, of the Justice and Democracy Party, hopes to be part of the country’s future leadership. “If anyone committed any crimes, any violation⁷ of human rights, he should be judged. If the people didn’t commit any crimes in that time, we have no problem. These people should be integrated into life,” Shalluf said.

Rebel fighters also need to be reintegrated. These men are being honored because they handed in their weapons.

Rebel fighter Tariq Hussein fought in some of the toughest battles in Misrata and in Gadhafi’s hometown, Sirte. He’s guarding government buildings now, and he thinks reconciliation⁸ is already well along the way.

“I hope God will grant us reconciliation," Hussein stated. "I think it’s already at 70 percent, and I hope it will reach 100 percent soon.”

But some analysts outside Libya are not sure the country will have such a smooth a transition to democracy. They say tribal⁹, regional and political differences, could become more pronounced in the coming months. Among them is Anthony Skinner of the Maplecroft risk assessment¹⁰ company, who spoke¹¹ to VOA via Skype.

“We have to be careful, mindful of the risks, that you still have a large number of groups that are very well armed, that are very concerned to ensure that they lay their claim to the political landscape," Skinner said. "And the concern is now with Gadhafi actually removed from power, and actually killed, that this glue which held these groups together will have disappeared.”

All the Middle Eastern countries that overthrew¹² their rulers this year are facing various difficulties along the road to democracy.

But for now in Libya, with children playing on the relics¹³ of the old regime, most people are eager to put any differences aside, at least for the moment, and to hope that after decades of dictatorship and months of war they can move forward together.

1 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

2 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

3 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 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。

5 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

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 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

8 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

9 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

10 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。

13 relics   

[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸

参考例句：

• The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
• Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。