F.W. de Klerk, South Africa's last apartheid president who oversaw the end of the country's white minority rule, has died.
南非最后一位种族隔离总统弗雷德里克·威廉·德克勒克去世，他监督了该国白人少数统治的结束。

A spokesman for the former president's organization said Thursday that Frederik Willem de Klerk died in his Cape Town home after a fight with cancer. He was 85.
这位前总统名下机构的发言人周四表示，德克勒克在与癌症作斗争后在开普敦的家中去世。他终年85岁。

De Klerk surprised the world when he ended apartheid and peacefully handed over power to a Black-led government under Nelson Mandela.
德克勒克结束了种族隔离制度，并将权力和平移交给纳尔逊·曼德拉领导下的黑人政府，这让全球震惊。

De Klerk was a controversial person in South Africa. Many blamed him for violence against Black South Africans and anti-apartheid activists during his time in power. Some white South Africans saw his cooperation to end apartheid as an act of disloyalty.
德克勒克在南非是一位存在争议的人物。许多人指责他在执政期间对南非黑人和反种族隔离活动人士实施暴力。一些南非白人认为他合作结束种族隔离是一种不忠诚的行为。

"De Klerk's legacy is a big one. It is also an uneven one, something South Africans are called to reckon with in this moment," the Mandela Foundation said of his death.
曼德拉基金会在谈到他的去世时表示：“德克勒克留下了巨大的遗产。它也是一份不平坦的遗产，南非人此刻要想到这一点。”

In February 1990, de Klerk announced in a speech to parliament that Mandela would be released from prison after 27 years. The country had long been denounced around the world for its system of apartheid.
1990年2月，德克勒克在议会演讲中宣布曼德拉将在入狱27年之后被释放。该国长期以来一直因为种族隔离制度而受到全世界的谴责。

With South Africa's economy seriously weakened from international sanctions, de Klerk also lifted a ban on the African National Congress (ANC) and other anti-apartheid political groups.
随着南非经济因为国际制裁而严重削弱，德克勒克还解除了对非洲人国民大会以及其它反种族隔离政治团体的禁令。

Negotiations to create a non-racial democracy after Mandela's release were held during a time of increased political violence. The talks nearly broke down and the country came close to a violent race war. But the process continued peacefully in what many political experts called a "political miracle."
曼德拉获释之后建立非种族主义民主政府的谈判是在政治暴力加剧的时期举行的。谈判几近破裂，该国接近发生一场激烈的种族战争。但是这个过程和平地继续了下去，被许多政治专家称之为“政治奇迹”。

In 1993 de Klerk shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela, who would win the presidency the following year. It was the first time Black South Africans could vote in Africa's biggest economy.
1993年，德克勒克与曼德拉共同获得了诺贝尔和平奖，曼德拉将在次年赢得总统职位。这是南非黑人第一次可以在这个非洲最大经济体国家中投票。

After the vote, the National Party shared power in a "Government of National Unity" in which de Klerk served as a deputy president. But the relationship between de Klerk and Mandela was often tense. De Klerk pulled out of the government in 1996, saying the ANC no longer valued his opinion.
投票后，国民大会在德勒克勒担任副总统的“民族团结政府”中分享权力。但是德克勒克和曼德拉之间的关系往往很紧张。德克勒克于1996年退出政府，称非国大不再重视他的意见。

Later in life, de Klerk said there was no longer conflict between him and Mandela and that they remained friends. Although he publicly apologized for the pain that apartheid caused, he was never seen as a hero like Mandela.
德克勒克在晚年表示，他和曼德拉之间不再存在冲突，他们仍然是好朋友。尽管他公开为种族隔离造成的痛苦道歉，但是他从未像曼德拉那样被视为英雄。

Years after the end of apartheid, de Klerk continued to defend the political system. He said the goal of apartheid was to separate the development of white and Black South Africans. But in reality, the violent apartheid system forced millions of the country's Black majority into "homeland" communities with high rates of poverty. And the system left most of South Africa's land in the hands of the white minority population.
在种族隔离结束多年之后，德勒克勒继续捍卫这一政治体系。他说，种族隔离的目标是将南非白人和黑人的发展分开。但是实际上，暴力的种族隔离制度迫使该国数百万黑人进入贫困率高的“家园”社区。该体系将南非的大部分土地留给了少数白人群体。

De Klerk admitted later in life that the goal of "separate but equal failed."
德克勒克后来承认，“隔离但平等”的目标失败了。

In 2020, de Klerk angered many South Africans when he said he did not think apartheid was a crime against humanity. When he attended President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation speech in parliament that year, some members shouted at him and demanded that he leave.
2020年，德克勒克表示他不认为种族隔离是危害人类罪，这激怒了许多南非人。当年他在议会出席西里尔·拉马福萨总统的国情咨文演讲时，一些议员对他大喊大叫，要求他离开。

Later, de Klerk said he accepted that apartheid was a crime against humanity and apologized for his earlier comments. But he is still seen by many South Africans as the last apartheid leader, not the leader who helped lead the country away from violent racial discrimination.
后来，德克勒克说他承认种族隔离是危害人类罪，并为他之前的言论道歉。但是他仍然被许多南非人视为最后一位种族隔离领导人，而不是帮助带领国家摆脱暴力种族歧视的领导人。

Upon his death, opposition leader Julius Malema criticized media reports that said de Klerk was a former president of South Africa. "He is a former apartheid president," Malema said in a tweet.
在他去世后，反对派领导人朱利叶斯·马利马批评媒体报道称德克勒克是南非前总统。马利马在推特上表示：“他是前种族隔离总统。”

Others on social media said de Klerk should not be given a state funeral.
还有人在社交媒体上表示，不应该为德克勒克举行国葬。

I'm Dan Novak.
我是丹·诺瓦克。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)

F.W. de Klerk, South Africa's last apartheid president who oversaw the end of the country's white minority rule, has died.

A spokesman for the former president's organization said Thursday that Frederik Willem de Klerk died in his Cape Town home after a fight with cancer. He was 85.

De Klerk surprised the world when he ended apartheid and peacefully handed over power to a Black-led government under Nelson Mandela.

De Klerk was a controversial person in South Africa. Many blamed him for violence against Black South Africans and anti-apartheid activists during his time in power. Some white South Africans saw his cooperation to end apartheid as an act of disloyalty.

"De Klerk's legacy is a big one. It is also an uneven one, something South Africans are called to reckon with in this moment," the Mandela Foundation said of his death.

South African President F.W. de Klerk, right, marks the end of South Africa's rule of Namibia during independence celebrations, in Windhoek, Namibia, March 21, 1990. (AP Photo/John Parkin/File)

In February 1990, de Klerk announced in a speech to parliament that Mandela would be released from prison after 27 years. The country had long been denounced around the world for its system of apartheid.

With South Africa's economy seriously weakened from international sanctions, de Klerk also lifted a ban on the African National Congress (ANC) and other anti-apartheid political groups.

Negotiations to create a non-racial democracy after Mandela's release were held during a time of increased political violence. The talks nearly broke down and the country came close to a violent race war. But the process continued peacefully in what many political experts called a "political miracle."

In 1993 de Klerk shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela, who would win the presidency the following year. It was the first time Black South Africans could vote in Africa's biggest economy.

After the vote, the National Party shared power in a "Government of National Unity" in which de Klerk served as a deputy president. But the relationship between de Klerk and Mandela was often tense. De Klerk pulled out of the government in 1996, saying the ANC no longer valued his opinion.

Later in life, de Klerk said there was no longer conflict between him and Mandela and that they remained friends. Although he publicly apologized for the pain that apartheid caused, he was never seen as a hero like Mandela.

Years after the end of apartheid, de Klerk continued to defend the political system. He said the goal of apartheid was to separate the development of white and Black South Africans. But in reality, the violent apartheid system forced millions of the country's Black majority into "homeland" communities with high rates of poverty. And the system left most of South Africa's land in the hands of the white minority population.

De Klerk admitted later in life that the goal of "separate but equal failed."

In 2020, de Klerk angered many South Africans when he said he did not think apartheid was a crime against humanity. When he attended President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation speech in parliament that year, some members shouted at him and demanded that he leave.

Later, de Klerk said he accepted that apartheid was a crime against humanity and apologized for his earlier comments. But he is still seen by many South Africans as the last apartheid leader, not the leader who helped lead the country away from violent racial discrimination.

Upon his death, opposition leader Julius Malema criticized media reports that said de Klerk was a former president of South Africa. "He is a former apartheid president," Malema said in a tweet.

Others on social media said de Klerk should not be given a state funeral.

I'm Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story based on reports from The Associated Press and Reuters. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

____

Words in This Story

apartheid — n. a former social system in South Africa in which black people and people from other racial groups did not have the same political and economic rights as white people and were forced to live separately from white people

controversial — adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument

legacy — n. something (such as property or money) that is received from someone who has died

reckon — v. to think or suppose (something) : to believe that (something) is true or possible

sanction — n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

miracle — n. an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God