http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/current/international/stories/rwanda.html (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)
KIGALI, Rwanda (Reuter) - Rwanda's new prime minister, Pierre Claver Rwigema, pledged as he was sworn in Thursday to try to reunite his ethnically torn country, scene of last year's mass genocide.
``I will do all that is in my power to reunite our people,'' Rwigema told a ceremony at the National Assembly where he was sworn in to replace Faustin Twagiramungu, who either resigned or was fired three days ago following a cabinet dispute.
Outside the National Assembly building, its walls pockmarked with bullets and shells after last year's genocidal civil war, dozens of gun-toting soldiers stood on guard next to army trucks with guns mounted at the back.
Rwigema, like his predecessor, is of the majority Hutu ethnic group, hundreds of thousands of whom fled to Zaire and other countries when the minority Tutsis beat the mainly-Hutu army.
Diplomats said Rwigema, a relatively inexperienced politician, would have his hands full trying to convince the refugees to return to Rwanda, where they fear reprisals for the genocide of up to a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus by Hutu militants.
``The new cabinet line-up is not very impressive,'' said one diplomat, who did not think the appointments would reassure the refugees.
``It is not a very strong signal of reconciliation. The RPA has chosen people with whom it will find it easier to work.''
Along with Rwigema, new ministers were named for justice, information and transport after this week's departures of Twagiramungo and four ministers opposed to some actions of the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA).
Rwigema, a member of the leading Hutu opposition party and former primary education minister, said his first task would be to work toward reconciliation of Hutus and Tutsis.
Diplomats said the shake-up strengthened the hand of the RPA, the former guerrillas who swept to power last July.
The changes in the 21-member cabinet promoted lightweight, little-known politicians less likely to put up coherent resistance to the RPA, they said.