A reportpublished by President Paul Kagame's government, which accuses France ofcomplicity in Rwanda's 1994 genocide is reportedly receiving mixed reaction.Opponents of President Kagame's government are questioning the timing of thereport after commissioners presented it to the government more than six monthsago. Some political analysts say the report would further worsen therelationship between Kigali and Paris. Kagame's government has previouslyaccused Paris of covering up its role in training troops and militia whocarried out massacres that killed some 800,000 people, and of supporting the ethnicHutu leaders who orchestrated the slaughter.
France denies that and saysits forces helped protect people during a U.N.-sanctioned mission in Rwanda atthe time. Jean Bosco Gasasira is the editor of the UmuvugiziIndependent Newspaper in Rwanda. From the capital, Kigali he tells reporterPeter Clottey that Rwandans say the report could worsen the already testyrelationship between Kigali and Paris.
"Rwandans are reacting intwo ways. Some are seeing the publishing of the report as long overdue becausethe commission handed over the report to His Excellency Paul Kagame six monthsago. They were asking why the report wasn't published up till today and theysee the truth of the report, most especially showing deeply the role of Francein the Rwanda genocide. But on another side, some are seeing the publishing ofthe report from a political point of view as pure politics because the reportcommissioner was initiated after a French judge indicted about 14 Rwanda RUF(Rwanda Patriotic Front) forces showing that they also committed war crimes.But the report indicates that France had an upper hand in the genocide,"Gasasira pointed out.
He said some Rwandans areexpressing worry about the deterioration of relations with France.
"Definitely, the relationshipwould be hurt, but it is not even because of this report. I can even tell youthat since RUF was still fighting, France did not have a good relationship withRUF. But even coming today, the relationship between France and the rulingparty is like a game of the cat and a rat. So, the relationship has not beengreat, but the report could destroy the prevailing relationship that exists.So, that is our worry, especially after this report," he said.
Gasasira said the governmentis explaining to ordinary Rwandans why France was deeply involved in thecountry's genocide, which led to the enormous loss of lives and property.
"The government isexplaining and bringing Rwandans far away and showing them what the French didin the 1994 genocide in the southern part of the country, whereby the Frenchwere behind what happened there. The government is trying to explain to theentire population the military relationship between the former government andthe French. So the report is showing the French upper hand in the genocide,"Gasasira noted.
He said some Rwandans wantthe report to be translated into other international languages.
"Definitely, there were somepoliticians who were there, and some of the pro-government journalists werecalling upon the government to translate the report in international languages,French and English, so that the report could be submitted to the SecurityCouncil and the European parliament. This is a way pavement for indictment andthe way I see it is propaganda against the French government showing France'supper hand in the genocide and the way they could be indicted," he said.
Rwanda's President Kagame cut ties with France two years ago after aFrench judge's called for him to stand trial over the death of his predecessorin April 1994, which is widely believed to have sparked the country's genocide.The call for Kagame to stand trial reportedly prompted street protests inKigali. Relations soured further after the Rwandan commission later heardaccounts from victims who said French soldiers raped them after seeking refugewith them during the genocide.
