Ancel is among 2500 soldiers sent to Rwanda on 22nd June 22 1994 in French-led military operation in Rwanda ‘Opération Turquoise’ with a mandate of stopping genocide and setting up a temporary humanitarian zone in Western part of Rwanda ‘Zone Turquoise’.
Recently, on 29th May 2019, the School of Higher Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS) in France hosted talks on commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Among guests who graced the commemoration talks were Rtd Lieutenant Colonel Guillaume Ancel, the author of a wide array of books including ‘Rwanda, la fin du silence’.
He explained that they were briefed on their mission to Rwanda in Opération Turquoise two hours before their departure.
As per provided briefings, Ancel established that France was involved in the four year-long war in Rwanda against the then Government and RPF Inkotanyi soldiers.
Ancel revealed that France soldiers in Rwanda took part in raids intended to demolish RPF Inkotanyi headquarters and supporting the Government’s plan to execute genocide.
Guillaume Ancel, 53, narrated that the kinds of weapons they brought to Rwanda was evidencing of their mission to engage into war than humanitarian assistance.
The Land forces on the mission included Special Forces from Regiment Parachutistes d’Infanterie de Marine (RPIMa) with long and short range weapons, night vision weapons, armoured forces among others equipped with 10 fighting helicopters known as ‘Gazelle’ along with three Super-Puma helicopters.
Air forces had over 30 helicopters including C-130 Hercules, Falcon -20, C-160 TRANSALL and CASA-235. They had also hired one Airbus, one Boing 747, and 17 Antonov-124 Condor to transport military equipment.
He explained that they had received orders to “carry out a land raid on Kigali to put back in place the genocidal government and free it from RPA soldiers by the time they landed in Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to Ancel, this order was renewed on June 30, 1994, in order to “stop the advance of the RPF soldiers” (Rwandan Patriotic Front), before moving, the next day, in a rescue operation, with the establishment of a “temporary humanitarian zone” in the west of the country.
When they arrived in Bisesero, one of areas in Zone Turquoise, Ancel said, they were surprised to see the supported Government killing citizens. At the time the then Government had already killed over 60,000 Tutsi.
Ancel said this is the time when they received new orders to stop fighting and involve in humanitarian assistance.
As per testimonies released in French based Magazine ‘Esprit’, Ancel revealed that the place for humanitarian assistance was also used to support soldiers of the genocidaire Government providing a passage way to DRC and escorting them to the refuge in DRC.
Guillaume Ancel said he was part of France soldiers who distributed weapons to the Government which perpetrated genocide in DRC refuge.
Normally, international laws don’t allow refugees to cross to foreign country with weapons or receive weapons in the host.
The order to support the genocidaire government was issued by the office of President François Mitterrand after the approval of the Defense Chief of Staff.
Ancel explained that the assistance granted by France to the Rwandan government at the time confirms the complicity in the genocide.
He said France participation during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi went into force because there was no vibrant opposition ring to stand against the decision.
Ancel highlighted that hiding such history, makes it a great mistake of France that might lead to re-occurrence of what happened.
In April 2019, France President, Emmanuel Macron has unveiled the establishment of the commission made of experts in history and researchers analyzing writings kept in archives of the country indicating France activities in Rwanda between 1990-1994 to come up with the truth on the role of France in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Guillaume Ancel welcomed the initiative but noted that it might be obstructed by former leaders including Amiral Jacques Lanxade, former France Defense Chief of Staff during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Lanxade has recently said that researchers won’t find anything new on Rwanda, France relations before and during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Despite the support granted to genocidaire government, RPA soldiers soldiered on until they liberated Kigali city on 4th July 1994.
The liberation struggle took end on 18th July 1994 after RPF Inkotanyi soldiers defeated the genocidaire government from different territories.
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