VOA慢速英语2018--重建和腐败成伊拉克选举首要问题
时间:2019-01-03 作者:英语课 分类:2018年VOA慢速英语(五)月
Rebuilding, Corruption 1 Top Issues in Iraq’s Election
Iraqi citizens will vote for members of their national parliament on May 12.
It is the first such election since the government declared victory over the Islamic State group. Iraqi forces drove out the militant 2 group from the country’s north last year. Now, Iraqis hope that new leadership will fight another enemy: corruption.
Many consider corruption to be the cause of years of war and economic problems.
Some candidates sense this feeling. Iman al-Marsomi is a candidate for parliament. “I want to wage a war against corruption,” she said.
But some local people in Baghdad said that goal may be impossible to reach.
Nearly 7,000 candidates are seeking office. There are 329 seats in Iraq’s parliament. After the vote, the government will carry out a series of negotiations 3. It is expected that one of the leaders of the Shia parties will be appointed prime minister. That position is Iraq’s head of state.
Iraq’s government system is complex and based on a quota 4 system. It calls for several groups to hold leadership positions. They include Shia and Sunni Muslims, the two biggest Muslim religious groups in the country. Kurds, other minorities and women also are required to hold some of these jobs.
New alliances forming
Iraqi political expert Najem al-Kassab told VOA that new political alliances are forming in the country, even among different religious groups. As a result, he said, no party is likely to gain a majority. So, a long series of negotiations will take place before the choosing of top positions, he said.
“It will be difficult for them to agree on the leadership,” he said, “because party alliances are no longer based on sectarian blocks.”
The current Prime Minster is Haider al-Abadi. He oversaw 5 the defeat of IS militants 6 in Iraq.
But the upcoming vote and negotiations will be hard to predict, al-Kassab said.
For example, one political alliance in Iraq now includes well-known Shia leaders and non-religious parties, including the Communist Party.
Unlike the election in 2014, Sunni voters are more likely to vote for al-Abadi’s coalition 7 because of the defeat of the IS. The militant group held mainly Sunni areas between 2014 and 2017.
The conflict destroyed or severely 8 damaged many Iraqi cities, towns and villages.
Al-Kassab said rebuilding, improving the economy and limiting corruption are most important to voters. However, meaningful change will be difficult.
“The people don’t really care who is in power,” said al-Kassab. “They are looking to rebuild after all the wars.”
Protecting voters and the election
Security for the vote remains 9 a concern. IS fighters have threatened to carry out attacks before the elections. The group said in an internet message that it has killed at least one candidate.
Iraqi officials, however, say they can provide enough security and protect voting places.
An Interior Ministry 10 official told VOA that security forces have prepared a “careful” plan for Baghdad and other cities. “Everyone can be assured to vote safely. We will protect the polling stations, the transfer of ballot 11 boxes, and voters,” he said.
The government plans to close the country’s airports and borders for 24 hours during the election.
Security forces also will suspend travel between provinces and restrict movement of vehicles on Saturday.
The Popular Mobilization Forces in northern Iraq plans additional security measures in areas with political conflict between Kurds and Arabs.
A spokesman for the militia 12 alliance said IS militants had threatened villagers in southern Kirkuk and Hawija with kidnapping if they vote in the election.
“Iraqi forces will be deployed 13 to Hawija and its surrounding areas on the election day to guarantee that everyone votes freely,” he told VOA.
I’m Mario Ritter.
Words in This Story
wage –v. to start and continue (a war, battle, etc.) in order to get or achieve something
quota –n. an official limit or amount on people that are permitted or included
sectarian –adj. referring to religious or political groups
blocks –n. a group of people who usually act together in some way
assure –v. to make sure something is done or happens
polling –n. voting
transfer –n. an act or process of moving someone or something from one place to another
- 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。
- 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。
- 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。
- A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
- He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。
- He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统,安然引退。 来自互联网
- Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网
- The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来,反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
- Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此,巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。
- 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。
- He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
- He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
- He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
- The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
- They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
- We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。
- The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
- The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。
- First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面,其次是民兵。
- There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。