Editor, RE: "French officials face criminal charges over 1994 Genocide” (The New Times, November 30).

This was long overdue. Of course nobody is so naive as to believe the French will ever extradite these suspects—or even cooperate with the Rwandan judicial authorities in their investigations of these individuals whose alleged crimes were committed under orders from much higher-ups in their line of command. 

But these individuals will remain internationally sought fugitives until they are cleared by Rwandan courts.

There is already great value in that it brings France's substantial role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi to the global public through a public trial. For France will not be unaware that under Rwandan law these suspects can be tried in absentia. And that such court proceedings would be public.

I wonder, when those in charge of France's affairs in the 1990s were so hellbent on getting in bed with génocidaires, did they ever think that a day would come when they might find themselves in the dock for the crimes they were just about to involve themselves in so lightly? Or did they think that they were so powerful they could bottle up the facts of these crimes, let alone have to account for them?

MK