VOA常速英语:Trouble in the DRC

President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC,has served the two terms permitted under the country’s Constitution.It is someone else’s turn to seek office.
刚果民主共和国（刚果金）总统约瑟夫·卡比拉已经根据国家宪法任满了两届。如今应当轮到别人接任了。

A crisis ensued when Kabila failed to organize timely elections and step down.Following negotiations, Kabila’s ruling party and the opposition coalition signed the St. Sylvestre accord. President Kabila agreed not to seek a third term or change the constitution.He would remain in office until the installation of his successor following elections which would be held by the end of December 2017. But there were no elections in the DRC last year, nor will any be held until December 2018 at the earliest. And now, President Kabila’s party is talking about changing the Constitution to allow him to run for another term.
当卡比拉未及时组织选举而下台，一场危机也随之而来。通过谈判，卡比拉执政党和反对派联盟签署了《圣维斯特维尔协议》。卡比拉总统同意不再试图连任第三届总统或修改宪法。他将暂且继续任职，直到2017年12月底大选选出继任者就职为止。然而，去年刚果金并没有举行大选，大选最早也得到2018年12月了。如今，卡比拉政党正在谋划修改宪法，以使他得以再次连任。

The President’s refusal to step down and the political machinations that have delayed elections over and over again, have caused a political crisis, heightened insecurity, and triggered a series of street protests in which scores of people have been killed.
总统拒绝下台、屡屡推迟选举的政治阴谋已引发了一场政治危机，使得该国不安全局势加剧，并引发了一连串的街头示威活动，造成多人死亡。

On December 31, the Catholic Lay Coordinating Committee organized peaceful demonstrations where security forces used excessive force against unarmed participants.Another peaceful protest was scheduled for Sunday, January 21st.Authorities prepared for the demonstration by pre-emptively shutting down internet and SMS services and forbade gatherings of more than five people. When the peaceful protest nonetheless took place, they shot teargas and live ammunition into the crowd,killing at least 7 people, injuring nearly another hundred and arresting dozens.
12月31日，天主教协调委员会举行了和平示威，然而，安全部队却对手无寸铁的参与者过度使用武力。另一场和平示威定于1月21日，星期日。为应付这场示威，当局先发制人地关闭了互联网和短信服务，并禁止五人以上的集会。尽管如此，和平示威依然如期举行，而当局却向示威人群施放催泪瓦斯和实弹，造成至少7人死亡、近百人受伤、数十人被捕。

“We condemn in the strongest terms the violence perpetrated by DRC security forces on January 21 against church-led peaceful protests,”said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauret in a written statement.“We are appalled that the DRC government, including President Kabila, would employ repressive tactics and disproportionate use of lethal force against civilians --including religious leaders and children -- exercising their democratic rights to call for credible and inclusive elections,” she said.
“我们强烈谴责刚果金安全部队1月21日对教会和平示威做出的暴力行径，”美国国务院发言人海瑟·诺尔特（Heather Nauret）在一份书面声明中表示。“我们深感震惊的是刚果金政府包括卡比拉总统在内，竟然采取压制手段对平民使用致命武力，以阻碍他们通过行使民主权利来呼吁可信而包容的选举，包括宗教领袖和儿童在内，”她如是说。

“The use of lethal force against Congolese citizens, and the cutting of internet and SMS service, undermine the democratic process, obstruct implementation of the St. Sylvestre Accord and contravene international human rights norms.”
“对刚果公民使用致命武力、以及切断互联网和短信服务，破坏了民主进程、阻碍了《圣维斯塔斯协议》的执行、违反了国际人权准则。”

“We call on President Kabila to hold accountable security force members who fired on civilians or ordered the use of lethal force and urge him and his government to ensure a peaceful and open electoral process so that credible elections are held as scheduled in December 2018.”
“我们呼吁卡比拉总统追究那些安全部队成员向平民开枪或责令使用致命武力的行径，我们也敦促卡比拉和他的政府能够确保一个和平、公开的选举进程，以便按计划于2018年12月举行可信的大选。”