Government to start legal proceedings against banned party

The government expects to start legal proceedings "very soon" against the banned opposition party, the Mouvement democratique republicain (MDR), and against 47 of its members or sympathisers, the Rwandan News Agency (RNA) reported on Wednesday.

The minister in charge of political parties, Christophe Bazivamo, told RNA that the Ministry for Local Administration, Information and Social Affairs would gather the necessary elements for the case. "A state prosecutor will then initiate legal proceedings," Bazivamo said.

On Monday, the government endorsed a parliamentary report that called for the banning of the MDR, the main opposition party in Rwanda, accusing it of propagating a "divisive" ideology. The parliamentary report also named 47 individuals whom it accused of "ethnic extremism".

Human rights groups have criticised the government for what they termed a "government-orchestrated crackdown" on the political opposition before presidential and parliamentary elections due to be held later in 2003. The government has rejected the allegation.

Meanwhile, Bazivamo told RNA that new and existing political parties would be able to register in June to take part in the elections.

He said he expected that a law governing political parties would be passed in the first two weeks of June, after which parties would be invited to register.

Rwanda's transitional government of national unity comes to an end in July. Under a new constitution due to be put to a referendum on 26 May, presidential and parliamentary elections should take place within six months of the referendum.