Members of Interim Rwanda Parliament Are Sworn In : Africa: New MPs pledge to work toward unity in nation where up to a million people died in massacres and civil war.

Rwanda in stalled an interim Parliament on Friday with the enormous tasks of reconciling its two main ethnic groups, rebuilding its economy and ushering in democratic rule.

One by one, the 70 members of the Transitional National Assembly stood, Bible in hand, and took an oath before hundreds of their countrymen in a Kigali stadium.

They pledged to work toward unity of their central African country, in which up to a million people died in massacres and civil war between April and July. Most of the victims were members of the minority Tutsi tribe killed by the majority Hutu.

“This is the first step toward democratic rule, toward unity of our country, and you men and women must work to make that a reality,” Prime Minister Faustin Twagirimungu told them.

The assembly is made up of representatives nominated by eight political parties and the Tutsi-led rebel army that defeated the previous Hutu-dominated government and army in July.

It allegedly excludes parties implicated in the genocide. Members will serve for five years, after which presidential and parliamentary elections have been promised.

Head of State Pasteur Bizimungu presided over the swearing-in, accompanied by Vice President and Defense Minister Paul Kagame.

Many Rwandans and outsiders believe that the country cannot know peace as long as nearly 2 million Hutus, including the troops and militia of the former government, are exiled in Zaire, Burundi and Tanzania.

The government says it wants to put on trial many of those in exile for their role in genocide after the assassination of military strongman and president Juvenal Habyarimana on April 6.

Diplomats said the assembly’s most difficult task will be reviving an economy shattered by war and starved of foreign aid.

Western donors are holding back new aid and emergency credits until Rwanda reaches an agreement with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which seek repayment of $9 million in arrears.

Western nations also want to see a move toward democratic rule as conditions for resuming bilateral aid.