幾內亞比紹哀悼故總統並展望未來

Sunday's funeral of President Malam Bacai Sanha in Guinea-Bissau could mark the beginning of a turbulent few months for the politically-troubled West African country.

幾內亞比紹星期天舉行的已故總統薩尼亞的葬禮可能標誌着未來幾個月這個政局不穩的西非國家開始進入動盪的時期。

All flags fly at half-staff in Guinea-Bissau’s capital as Guineans mourn the loss of their president.

幾內亞比紹首都內的所有旗幟都降半旗，哀悼總統薩尼亞逝世。

Malam Bacai Sanha died on January 9 in a Paris hospital of a prolonged, unspecified illness. He was 64 years old.

馬拉姆·巴卡伊·薩尼亞1月9日在巴黎一家醫院去世，享年64歲。他之前一直長期同疾病進行鬥爭，官方沒有公佈病因。

Though in office just two years, Sanha was viewed as a head of state who brought relative stability to a country where democracy has proved elusive.

雖然薩尼亞擔任總統僅兩年時間，但他被看作一位給這個民主難以捉摸的國家帶來了相對穩定的領導人。

Now, some in the population are feeling unease about what could happen next.

目前，一些民衆對未來的可能走向感到不安。

Opposition parties are already protesting at the move by National Assembly leader Raimundo Pereira to step up as interim president. But most citizens support Pereira, who is calling for an election within 60 days.

反對黨已經在抗議國民議會領袖雷蒙多·佩雷拉成爲過渡時期總統。但大多數民衆支持佩雷拉。佩雷拉呼籲在60天之內舉行選舉。

"Allocating the post of president to the head of the assembly is the constitutional thing to do," said Joao Gomes, a businessman in Bissau. "We want him to make sure the elections are carried out correctly. We need a president who brings peace and makes the country work."

若昂·戈麥斯是比紹的一位商人。他說：“讓議會領袖暫代總統職務是符合憲法的。我們想要他確保選舉正確地舉行。我們需要一位能帶來和平並讓這個國家運作起來的總統。”

Guinea-Bissau has had a tumultuous political history, with a series of military coups and assassinations during the last three decades.

幾內亞比紹政局長期不穩，過去30年裏發生過一系列軍事政變和暗殺事件。

Mr. Sanha was elected president in July 2009 following the assassination of his predecessor Joao Bernardo Vieria. More recently, a group of soldiers tried to stage a coup in Bissau on December 26.

2009年7月薩尼亞當選總統，之前他的前任若昂·貝爾納多· 維埃拉被暗殺。最近，一夥軍人試圖於去年12月26日在比紹發動政變。

Richard Antwi, a 30-year-old pastor in Bissau, says people are used to the instability.

現年30歲的裏查德·安特維是比紹的一位牧師。

“The president before this one - there was an assassination," said Antwi. "They managed to solve the problem, a new one came, and now he’s dead. I mean, they are used to presidents who don’t finish their attempts, but they deal with it, so…”

他說，人們已經習慣了不穩定。安特維說：“薩尼亞之前的那位總統遭到暗殺。他們設法解決這個問題，但新的問題又冒出來。而現在他已經去世了。我的意思是，人們習慣了總統不能完成他們的目標任務，但他們是在應對這些問題......”

Ansoumane Sanga, the justice adviser to Pereira, says even if violence breaks out, it would be controlled.

議會領袖佩雷拉的司法顧問安蘇曼·桑加說，就算髮生暴力事件，也能夠控制。

"Of course we have nagging little fears after what happened on the 26th here," he explained. "But even after such an event, the next day everything was normal; everything functioned normally. People understand that we have to carry on."

他解釋說:"當然12月26號發生的事讓人憂心。但儘管發生了這樣的事，第二天一切正常；一切正常運轉。人們懂得我們不得不繼續生活下去。"

But Justino Pedro du Silva, a doorman in Bissau, says everyone fears the disruption that such political turmoil brings.

不過比紹的一位門衛賈斯蒂諾·佩德羅·杜席爾瓦說，每個人都擔心這樣的政治動盪帶來的干擾。"It is a very difficult to live in the middle of political instability," he said. "When there is violence, people are afraid."

他說:"在不穩定的政局中生活是非常艱難的。當出現暴力時，人們會感到害怕。"

President Sanha had concentrated on trying to heal what had become known as a failed state.

薩尼亞總統曾經專注於設法治癒這個已被視爲失敗的國家。

Ansoumane Sanga describes the late president as “a unifier."

安蘇曼·桑加稱這位已故總統是"一位統一者。"

"In his two years as president, Sanha listened, understood and reacted," he said. "He always honored us and respected us and he always tried to improve Guinea-Bissau."

他說:"薩尼亞在他擔任總統的兩年中傾聽、理解並作出反應。他總是尊重和尊敬我們，總是設法改善幾內亞比紹。"

The feeling is shared by normal Guineans. Bineta Piero, a 32-year-old maid and student in Bissau, says everyone will be sad at the funeral.

普通的幾內亞人也有同感。32歲的比內塔·皮耶羅是比紹的一個女學生，她說，每個人在葬禮上都會感到悲傷。

"When we heard that the president had died, everyone was really sorry," she said. "We feel it deep in their hearts because he brought stability and peace to the country. We pray that the new president will be good for Guinea-Bissau."

她說:"當我們聽到總統的死訊，每個人都很悲傷。"我們從內心深處感到悲痛，因爲他給這個國家帶來了穩定與和平。我們祈禱新總統能夠有利於幾內亞比紹。"

That sentiment is shared by many who want Guinea-Bissau's political turmoil to be in the past.

希望幾內亞比紹結束政治動盪的許多人都有此種心情。