They are a sensitive, sensible people, no doubt about that. Proud of their Gallic heritage, their culture, their acclaimed place in the world of art, architecture, science and the humanities. France is a microcosm of western Europe, with its history, its politics. It led the way into modern Europe with its Revolution, and its inspired resolve to uphold the rights of the masses, to ensure equality, fraternity, freedom.
Why are they so bafflingly, irksomely, righteously on the side of the angels? Which is to say they practise not what they preach necessarily, but believe themselves to do so, and proclaim themselves to be the supreme arbiters of social progressiveness. No, they're not alone in so doing, but they're more arrogant in the doing of it than most other nations who adhere to the principle of see no evil where it exists.
Now documents produced by two lawyers representing Rwandans who are accusing the French government and its military in particular of "complicity in genocide" and "crimes against humanity", and presented to an army court in Paris are shedding light where official France would prefer they would not.
As well, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has set up a special commission to hold public hearings into France's purported involvement in the 1994 genocidal horrors that left as many as one million dead; mostly Tutsi minorities murdered by Hutu extremists.
"These documents, which come directly from the Elysee palace, suggest that President Mitterrand was well aware of what was happening in Rwanda but refused to act", according to one of the lawyers. "Massacres on an ethnic basis were going on and we have evidence that France knew this from at least January, 1993." And likely earlier, if the documents are parsed as they appear to present.
These are not mere government underlings whose reputations have come under fire, but rather Alain Juppe, former foreign minister, Pierre Joxe, a former defence minister, and Michel Quesnot, Mr. Mitterrand's military chief of staff. For according to these official documents French officials deliberately ignored repeated warnings of the intent of the Hutu-dominated government to wipe out the minority Tutsis.
France, in fact, supported, armed, trained and actively fought alongside the Hutu extremists in their determination to murder Tutsis. Four years prior to the murderous tide of extermination, the French military attache in Kigali sent a diplomatic telegram to Paris, detailing the growing persecution of Tutsis by the Hutu government. "It is to be feared that this conflict will degenerate into an ethnic war", Colonel Rene Galinie reported to the Africa Bureau of the president's office.
Followed a mere day later by a warning from Georges Martres, the French ambassador to Rwanda that "Hutu farmers organized by [Mr. Habyarimana's (the-then Hutu president of Rwanda) party] have stepped up their search for suspected Tutsis in the hills", adding "massacres have been reported in the Kibilira region."
Yet, post-massacre, Mr. Mitterand was adamant that he had never been informed of "the tragedies happening inside the country".
The reason is as complex and as simple as France's unwillingness to permit post-colonial Africa to become influenced unduly by "Ango-Saxons". France took the step of backing the Hutu because they were French-speaking, while the Tutsi were English speaking. As a result, French military advisers fought right alongside the Rwandan army. They were responsible for overseeing the firing of artillery and flying helicopter gunships.
And French involvement didn't stop there. France additionally granted the Rwandan government ample funding to purchase approximately $100-million worth of arms. Then helped to train local militias eventually responsible for carrying out the genocide.
Labels: Heroes and Villains, Justice
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, July 08, 2007
<< Home