Violence Escalates in Zimbabwe One Month Before Election Runoff

津巴布韦暴力升级

　



As Zimbabwe braces itself for a runoff in the presidential election, violence against people loyal to the Movement for Democratic Change, or MDC, has reached unprecedented levels. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Tuesday that more than 50 people have been killed in political violence since Zimbabwe's disputed March 29 elections and over 25,000 people displaced.

　

津巴布韦正在积极为总统决选作准备，与此同时，针对反对党--争取民主变革运动的支持者的暴力活动达到了前所未有的水平。争取民主变革运动领导人茨万吉拉伊星期二说，自津巴布韦3月29号有争议的总统选举以来，50多名反对党支持者在政治暴力中丧生，2万5千人无家可归。

A month before a runoff vote, MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai said a campaign of violence and intimidation designed to fix President Robert Mugabe's re-election had now killed over 50 of MDC supporters. Tsvangirai, who launched a fund for victims of the violence, said more than 25,000 supporters were also being displaced across the country.

　

现在离决选还有一个月的时间，争取民主变革运动的领导人茨万吉拉伊说，有人为了能让津巴布韦总统穆加贝获得连任正在用威吓和暴力方式针对反对党支持者，已经有50多名争取民主变革运动的支持者因此丧生，全国各地有2万5千支持者逃离家园。茨万吉拉伊为暴力受害者设立了一项基金。

President Robert Mugabe launched his re-election campaign on Sunday accusing Tsvangirai of extensive political violence.

　

津巴布韦总统穆加贝星期天开始了自己的连任竞选，他指责茨万吉拉伊应该为席卷全国的政治暴力负责。

The runoff is taking place against the backdrop of a complete economic meltdown in the country.

　

与此同时，津巴布韦的经济陷入全面瘫痪。

Most of the victims of violence say their attackers are members of Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF.

　

大多数暴力袭击的受害者说，袭击他们的是穆加贝总统领导的非洲国家联盟-爱国阵线的成员。

In eastern Zimbabwe, the chairman of the MDC's Manicaland province reports a group of teachers had disappeared 90 kilometers south of the provincial capital Mutare.

　

在津巴布韦东部的马尼卡兰省，争取民主变革运动在当地的省主席说，在马尼卡兰首府穆塔雷以南90公里的地方，有一群教师失踪了。

He said information so far indicates that the teachers, some of who are suspected of being MDC supporters, are being held at military bases established by what he said was ZANU-PF militia.

　

他说，目前他所掌握的消息显示，这些老师当中有些人被怀疑是争取民主变革运动的支持者，他们被关押在他所说的非洲国家联盟-爱国阵线的民兵组织的军事营地里。

He said there were scores of bases in the southern part of the province. This information is confirmed by some commercial farmers in district.

　

他说，这样的营地在马尼卡南南部有好几个， 该地区的一些农民也证实了这个消息。

Even in southwestern Zimbabwe, where there have been few attacks, many voters have told church leaders and civil rights activists that they have been threatened not to vote in the upcoming runoff unless they endorse Mr. Mugabe.

　

即使是在袭击很少发生的西南部地区，一些选民对当地教会领导人和人权活动人士说，有人威胁他们不要参加即将到来的决选，除非他们支持穆加贝。

Zimbabwe's Election Commission has so far made no comment about the violence.

　

津巴布韦选举委员会到目前为止还没有对暴力发表任何评论。

The Commission has announced that domestic observers and foreign and local journalists can apply for accreditation next week. The independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network says many observers on duty in the last election have been beaten up, or forced to flee their homes.

　

选举委员会宣布国内观察人士以及国内外记者下个星期可以申请观察或是采访资格。独立的津巴布韦选举支持网络说，许多在上一次选举中参加工作的观察人士遭到殴打或是被迫离家。

Applications from most foreign journalists who applied for accreditation for the last elections were turned down.

　

上一次选举申请过采访资格的许多外国记者这次的申请也都遭到拒绝。

The accreditation for foreign observers from the Southern African Development Community, SADC, has been granted for the run off. However, SADC has said it wants to increase the number of observers.

　

不过，来自南部非洲发展共同体的外国观察员这次的申请获准。南部非洲发展共同体官员说，他们希望增加决选观察员的数目。

Tsvangirai won the most votes in the initial election on March 29 but failed to garner enough to avoid a runoff, according to disputed figures compiled by the official electoral commission.

　

根据津巴布韦选举委员会公布的有争议的数字，茨万吉拉伊在第一次选举中获得的选票最多，但是却没能获得避免总统决选所需的多数票。

The original election day also saw Mugabe's ZANU-PF lose control of parliament for the first time since the 84-year-old came to power at independence from Britain in 1980.

　

在上次选举中，穆加贝总统的非洲国家联盟-爱国阵线还失去了1980年津巴布韦脱离英国统治独立、也就是84岁的穆加贝当政以来就一直把持的议会多数党地位。