Editor,

Refer to Sunny Ntayombya’s article, "Dutch court ruling on peacekeepers should give us pause for thought” (The New Times, July 23). If the Dutch are culpable for just leaving people, then what of the French who trained (the Interahamwe) militia, rounded up Tutsi and killed them (during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda)?

It is important for the healing of Franco-Rwandan relations that we have trials where the full complicity can be exposed. Many French soldiers who were merely following orders feel guilt and pain for what happened.

The Dutch Paratroopers also called for this trial to absolve themselves and make commanders and politicians accountable, soon the French will demand the same. UN cannot be sued legally in any capacity whatsoever, prosecuting countries is the feasible way forward.

The rules of engagement and right to protection under peacekeeping has never been fully defined, so the French and Belgians were able to carry out their agenda under the guise of peacekeeping when their mission was to protect or restore an extremist Hutu government at all costs.

We need to define this once and for all.

Rama Isibo, Rwanda