Bolivia assemblies oppose reforms

President Morales has ruled out any compromise

Two regions of Bolivia have formally stated their opposition to the president's plans to redistribute land and rewrite the constitution.

President Evo Morales wants to redistribute up to 20m hectares of land to indigenous and peasant communities.

The Santa Cruz civic committee has threatened to call a referendum on the new constitution, and is appealing to residents to stage hunger strikes.

In Beni, the committee urged Mr Morales to respect the current constitution.

The controversial agrarian reform bill has been approved by the lower house of congress, but opposition parties that control the Senate say they will block it.

Mr Morales established a constituent assembly in August, but lacks the support of two-thirds of delegates he needs to push through changes to the constitution.

He wants each article to be passed by a simple majority, with two-thirds support needed only to ratify the final document. The opposition accuses the government of changing the rules illegally.

President Morales has ruled out any compromise with the opposition or big landowners.