VOA常速英语2008年-Crisis Talks Heighten Tension in Western Kenya
时间：2019-01-31 作者：英语课 分类：VOA常速英语2008年（二月）
Kisumu
21 February 2008
The political opposition 1 in Kenya is holding out the possibility of further anti-government demonstrations 3 if there is no agreement on resolving Kenya's disputed presidential elections. The threat has raised tensions in a major opposition stronghold in western Kenya. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from the western city of Kisumu.
At a street corner in Kisumu, a young man yells to a passing journalist: "If Raila calls for mass action, we go."
Others shout: "No Raila, no peace."
Raila Odinga heads the opposition Orange Movement for Democracy. His party won a near-majority of the parliamentary seats in the December elections, but was defeated by President Mwai Kibaki in the presidential vote, which the opposition says was rigged.
Four weeks of negotiations 4 between the government and opposition have stalled over the issue of power sharing, leading opposition leaders to call for new demonstrations. Protests after the elections led to weeks of violence in which 1,000 people were killed and several hundred thousand were displaced.
Local civic 5 leaders, like Chris Owalla of the human rights group, Initiative Action, are worried that new demonstrations could ignite the anger that still simmers in their communities.
"If this war happened to break [out] again, if the talks fail, then it will be worse off than round one because now people are more prepared psychologically. Many people are allied 6 in groupings," said Owalla.
Professor Ochieng Ojwang founded the Kisumu Residents Forum 7 that is trying to foster dialogue between local professionals and demonstration 2 leaders who are often unemployed 8 youths from the poorest neighborhoods. But he says healing and reconciliation 9 hang on a successful outcome to the negotiations.
"Depending on the results of that process [negotiations], the country can either slide into total chaos 10 or the country can rise up from the ashes and become one of the best democracies in Africa," said Ojwang.
Progress has been made in the talks mediated 11 by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Agreement was reached last week on a number of issues, such as constitutional and electoral reform.
The two sides reportedly agreed Wednesday to create the post of prime minister, but remain divided over how much power it would share with the presidency 12. A working group is now studying constitutional and legal issues related to creation of the new position.
- 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。
- His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
- He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。
- 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。
- negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
- Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
- I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
- The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。
- Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
- Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。
- They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
- The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。
- There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
- The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。
- 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。
- After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
- The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。
- He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
- The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。
- 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。