A new list of senior French politicians that were complicit in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi will soon be released, Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo has said.
A new list of senior French politicians that were complicit in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi will soon be released, Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo has said.
The development comes barely a month after the National Commission for the fight against Genocide (CNLG) released a list of 22 senior French army officers that knowingly aided the planning and execution of the Genocide in which more than a million people were killed.
Speaking to journalists in Kigali, yesterday, Mushikiwabo, who also doubles as the Government spokesperson, said it was time to release information that clearly indicated the role of some of the politicians, intelligence and military individual’s role, adding that Rwanda was fed up with what she called ‘French judicial bullying’.
Source: Kigali Today
"We, as a country, have reached a point where we have to say that the activities, the unrepentant, the belligerent attitude and actions of France are no longer acceptable.
"In the very near future, and for the next many years, we as a country believe that we need to put out in the open, all important information, clearly showing the implication of various French officials the military, politicians, intelligence and all individuals that played a role in the Genocide,” she said.
Mushikiwabo told journalists that despite the Government’s commitment toward mending the strained relationship, the French government seemed to be uninterested.
"We knew from the word go that it was not going to be easy to conduct normal good bilateral activities with France. We decided that we should figure out to mend the relationship, eventually and progressively to reach a collaboration that is normal.
"We have reached a point where, 22 years after the genocide, we realise that France is not interested in a good relationship with Rwanda,” she said.
Mushikiwabo added that the ties between the two countries continued to sour because of the actions and involvement of France as a state as well as specific individuals in the French establishment, both military and political.
"Officially, France says one thing but another level of activity in different institutions does the opposite. There have been a number of negative activities towards Rwanda in different circles, in the multi-lateral world, sometime in our neighborhood sometimes through different conflicts and of course what they call a judicial process yet it is politics being played through a court system,” she said.
"We, Rwanda as a country, have reached a point where we have to say that the activities and unrepentantly belligerent attitude of France are no longer acceptable.”
Last month, CNLG named 22 senior French military officers who were operating in Rwanda at the time of the genocide and reportedly played a significant role in the killings that saw over a million people lose their lives.
France announced recently that it was considering plans to re-open investigations into the shooting down of the plane that was carrying former President Juvenile Habyarimana.
The move is widely seen as political endeavour masked by judiciary - one of the multiple attempts and strategy by France to undermine Rwanda and divert responsibility for their role in the Genocide.
"Let me say two things about this plane crash which France has been clutching onto and trying to hold above our heads. One, the Genocide was not caused by a plane crash. That is a fact. It was premeditated and planned and just waiting for a signal to get started.
"Two, if there is a country beyond Rwanda that was aware and that was active in the preparation of the Genocide back in the 1990s, it is France. France had political advisers to the genocidal government, France had military advisers and trainers for both the army and the militias that were involved in committing the Genocide. France had detached intelligence officers to the genocidal government. There are names, faces. This is not something that is fabricated; it is information that is out there,” Mushikiwabo said.
The List of Military Officers linked to the Genocide
Gen Jacques Lanxade
Gen Christian Quesnot
Gen Jean-Pierre Huchon
Gen Jean-Claude Lafourcade
Col Gilbert Canovas
Col Jacques Rosier
Col Didier Tauzin
Col René Galinié
Col Bernard Cussac
Col Dominique Delort
Col Jacques Hogard
Col Jacques Rosier
Col Patrice Sartre
Lt Col Michel Robardey
Lt Col Jean-Jacques Maurin
Lt Col Eric De Stabenrath
Capt Etienne Joubert apt Paul Barril Comm Grégoire de Saint Quentin Comm Denis Roux omm Marin Gillier
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