VOA常速英语:Backsliding on Democracy in Zambia(翻译)

Many in the international community held high hopes that the 2016 elections in Zambia would signal yet another win for democracy in Africa.
国际社会许多成员都寄以厚望，希望赞比亚2016年选举标志着民主在非洲的又一次胜利。

But the run-up to the elections, as well as the post-election environment, were marred by violence, intimidation, and an environment that tilted the playing field unfairly in favor of the ruling party. This included the closure of the country’s most popular and one of its few independent newspapers.
但是这一已经结束了的选举、以及选举之后的环境却不容乐观，受到暴力和恐吓的影响，这个环境使得参选各方极不公平，对现任执政党特别有利。这还使得赞比亚国内最受欢迎、为数不多独立运营的一家报纸被停业。

The Post Newspaper was shut down by the government revenue service on claims of $6 million worth of unpaid taxes, while government news outlets and other entities that reportedly also owed substantial amounts to the government revenue service remained open.
赞比亚《邮报》被该国政府税务部门下令停业了，声称该公司有一笔尚未付清的600万美元税款，但是据报道，该国一些政府新闻媒体及其他实体同样欠有巨额未缴纳税款，但是它们却仍然在运营。

After the election, Zambia’s broadcasting regulation entity, the Independent Broadcasting Authority,suspended the licenses of an additional three private media outlets, citing un-professional conduct and unspecified national security grounds.The closure of independent media outlets, without warning, on ill-defined national security grounds carries with it the potential to muzzle all non-government controlled media outlets and creates a chilling effect on freedom of speech.
选举过后，赞比亚广播监管机构—独立广播部门—暂停了另外三家私人媒体的营业执照，理由是不遵守职业操守、以及未指明的国家安全原因。对这些独立媒体的停业没有经过事先警告，理由仅仅是一些不清不楚的国家安全原因，其潜在目的是想让所有非政府控制的媒体噤声，对言论自由产生了一种令人不寒而栗的影响。

This is not the way a multiparty democracy operates; it is not the way to help the country unify after a close election;is not the way to give confidence to the international community and outside investors that the rule of law is respected and carried out in a consistent manner in Zambia.
这不是一个多党派民主所应有的运作方式；这不是在选举结束后帮助赞比亚团结统一的方式；这也不是能够给与国际社会和外界投资者以信心的方式，不能够让他们相信法律规则在赞比亚得到了尊重、并且以一致的方式被执行。

“The United States is disappointed that politically motivated violence and constraints on media freedom have continued after Zambia’s August 11 general election,”said State Department Spokesperson John Kirby in a written statement.
“美国感到很失望，在赞比亚8月11日大选结束后，仍然在对媒体自由进行出于政治原因的暴力和限制，”美国国务院发言人约翰·科比在一份书面声明中如是说道。

“We are especially concerned about the Independent Broadcaster Association’s August 22 suspension of three broadcasting licenses, which is a continuation of a troubling pre-electoral trend of restrictions on independent media voices and freedom of peaceful assembly.Zambia’s proud democratic traditions are not enhanced by such restrictions, nor will they help the country to unite and move forward.”
“关于赞比亚独立广播协会8月22日对这三家暂停营业执照的做法，我们表示严重关切，赞比亚选举前曾对独立媒体发声、以及和平集会自由加以限制，而这正是这一令人不安的趋势的延续。赞比亚所自豪的民主传统并没有因为这些限制措施而得以加强，这些限制措施也不会帮助赞比亚团结统一、迈步向前。”

Zambia’s election is over, and judicial authorities have carried out their constitutional duties to rule on the challenge to the election results. The United States Government urges the Government of the Republic of Zambia to work with the Zambian Revenue Authority and the Independent Broadcasting Authority to find a way forward that allows all media outlets to freely report.
赞比亚的选举结束了，司法机关也已经在履行它们宪法所赋予的责任，对向选举结果发起挑战的人加以审判制裁。美国政府敦促赞比亚共和国政府、赞比亚税务部门、以及赞比亚独立广播部门共同努力、寻找一条向前的道路，允许所有的媒体自由报道。

The free flow of information is an essential element of a democracy.The United States calls on all political actors to meet and seek reconciliation in a display of leadership.
信息的自由流动是一个民主国家的基本要素。美国呼吁所有政治行动者在进行领导的过程中，满足和寻求和解。