《中英對照讀新聞》A novelty in Ivory Coast rebel north: utility bills 象牙海岸北部叛軍地盤的新玩意–水電費帳單

◎羅彥傑

Cut off from a government-run south by civil war, the people of Ivory Coast's rebel-held north are about to receive their first electricity and water bills since fighting erupted more than two years ago.

因內戰而與政府掌控的南部地區分隔開來，由叛軍把持的象牙海岸北部百姓將收到自兩年多前內戰爆發以來的第一張水電帳單。

The re-emergence of civil servants, bureaucracy and utility bills in the northern zone is regarded as a sign of return to normality in the war-divided West African country, where a peace process has made timid steps forward in the last few months.

公務員、官僚體系與公用事業帳單在北部地區重新出現，被視為是這個因戰爭而分裂的西非國家恢復正常的一個跡象，而該國的和平進程在過去數月也取得些微的進展。

Utilities have been free in the north since war followed a failed bid to topple President Laurent Gbagbo in September 2002 and the government lost control of the region.

二○○二年九月，一場企圖推翻羅倫特．葛巴保總統的政變失敗後，戰爭爆發，政府失去對於北部地區的控制權，此後該地區的水電即一直免費。

But with infrastructure crumbling, suppliers now say that northern consumers must pay up or be cut off. "We no longer have the means to ensure a minimal service so we're asking people for a modest contribution," said Damas Coulibaly, regional director of the state-owned water company.

但隨著基礎設施瀕臨瓦解，水電供應單位現在表示，北部的消費者必須付費，否則就要切斷供應。國營水公司的地區主任達馬斯．柯里巴里說：「我們已無法確保最低程度的服務，所以我們要求人民多少繳一些費用。」

新聞辭典

cut off：片語，指打斷、切斷或分離。例句：He was cut off from all his friends when he studied abroad.（他出國留學期間與所有的朋友都沒有聯繫。）

utility：名詞，指公用事業公司，如水電。例句：The government allows you to have your utility bill automatically deducted from your bank account.（政府允許你用銀行帳戶自動扣繳來繳納公用事業帳單。）

timid：形容詞，指膽怯的、害羞的，引申為「些微」之意。例句：He was timid about saying this.（此事他羞於啟齒。）

crumble：動詞，指破碎、崩潰、瓦解。例句：His influence was crumbling away.（他的影響力正逐漸消失。）