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Earlier this week there were reports of renewed clashes in northern Rwanda between the majority Hutu tribe and the minority Tutsi. Last month 300 people were reportedly killed in such inter-tribal fighting, a phenomenon which has resulted in periodic massacres since Rwanda became independent in 1962.
The chief opposition party, the Republican Democratic Movement (MDR), to which Prime Minister Dismas Nsengiyaremye belongs, has condemned members of Habyarimana's National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (NRMDD) as well as the Coalition for the Defence of the Republic (CDR) -- two parties which are pro-Hutu -- for what it called "the recent massacres".
The MDR appealled to the NRMDD and CDR to "scrupulously respect human rights".
The MDR also condemned the RPF, which draws its support from the minority Tutsi tribe, for violating the ceasefire agreement of last August.
"This violation casts doubt on the RPF's willingness to work towards democracy and peace in Rwanda," said the MDR statement.
The RPF launched its insurrection against Habyarimana, a general who has ruled Rwanda for nearly 20 years, in October 1990 with an invasion from Uganda.
mgu/jbm/agv AFP AFP SEQN-0201
