BURUNDI'S MAIN OPPOSITION HUTU PARTY SAID ON SATURDAY IT WAS WITHDRAWING FROM A NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, DEALING A BLOW TO RECONCILIATION EFFORTS AFTER A CIVIL WAR BUT UNLIKELY TO DISRUPT THE RULING COALITION, REUTERS REPORTED. THE HUTU FRODEBU PARTY ACCUSED PRESIDENT PIERRE NKURUNZIZA'S COALITION OF FAILING TO ABIDE BY A CONSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT ON POWER-SHARING AND FAILING TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY. NKURUNZIZA'S ELECTION IN AUGUST 2005 WAS A CROWNING MOMENT IN PEACE PLAN SIGNED IN 2000 TO END 12 YEARS OF CONFLICT BETWEEN REBELS FROM THE HUTU MAJORITY AND A TUTSI ELITE THAT HAS CONTROLLED THE STATE FOR MOST OF THE POST-INDEPENDENCE YEARS SINCE 1962. SOME 300,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE CIVIL WAR. 'FRODEBU PARTY HAS DECIDED TO STOP ANY COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOT KEEN TO RETURN THE COUNTRY TO THE RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY,' FRODEBU'S CHAIRMAN LEONCE NGENDAKUMANA SAID AFTER A MEETING OF SENIOR PARTY OFFICIALS. FRODEBU'S MAIN COMPLAINT IS THAT NKURUNZIZA HAS DOMINATED HIS CABINET WITH MINISTERS FROM HIS PARTY, THE FORMER REBEL FORCES FOR THE DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY (FDD), GOING AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION WHICH ENCOURAGES A BROAD-BASED GOVERNMENT.
