He revealed this yesterday on Monday 19th January 2021 as Rwanda officially released its report on the role of French Government during Genocide against Tutsi.
The report was made by a law firm based in the United States of America (USA), Levy Firestone Muse.
Bob Muse, a partner at Levy Firestone Muse presented findings of the report to the Government of Rwanda during a special cabinet meeting that convened yesterday at Village Urugwiro.
The 600-page report is entitled “A Foreseeable Genocide: The Role of the French Government in Connection with the Genocide against the Tutsi.”
Minister Biruta has revealed that the report was made on the request of Rwanda.
”The report follows the recent one made by expert commission of researchers and historians commissioned by President Macron. It is not a response to the first report. They were made differently at different times. What is clear in this report is that the French Government at the time bears a significant responsibility in failing to prevent a foreseeable Genocide. They saw all the signs and were aware of the planning and execution of the genocide but did not act to prevent it,” he said.
The report features testimonies from different people including President Paul Kagame and other RPF Inkotanyi cadres.
Both reports indicate that French Government bears responsibility during Genocide against Tutsi.
“Duclert report reviewed archives until 1994 but Rwanda’s report also analyzed the period after 1994 where it reflects on events that intended to tamper with evidences on the role of French Government during Genocide against Tutsi,” said Minister Biruta.
He also highlighted that Rwanda’s hinted on records of former French President, Mitterand on Genocide and what Rwanda suspected to have fueled ‘Genocide deniers’.
“It also draws attention on events and evidences after Genocide including trial of eight senior military officials accused by Jean Louis Burguiere. This prompted Rwanda to spend time following up these court cases,” he said.
Minister Biruta explained that Rwanda’s report is not meant for criminal investigation even though it was made by lawyers.
“The Government of Rwanda doesn’t intend to use the report for criminal investigation but a fact-finding report meant to clarify historical facts,” he noted.
Rwanda’s report shows that France played a role during Genocide against Tutsi because ‘it was aware of long-term plan to exterminate Tutsi’.
The report of 600 pages is entitled “A Foreseeable Genocide: The Role of the French Government in Connection with the Genocide against the Tutsi.”
The reported was presented by Bob Muse, a partner at Levy Firestone Muse, a law firm based in Washington (United States).
He presented the report through a special cabinet meeting convened at Village Urugwiro.
IGIHE has learnt that Levy Firestone Muse made the report in collaboration with law firm based in Rwanda including MRB ATTORNEYS (MRB), Trust Law Chambers and Certa Law.
Rwanda’s report drew emphasis on the period before, during and after Genocide.
The report served with different archives and speeches delivered by different people including RPF Inkotanyi cadres, former FDLR combatants, top Government officials and former employees of the United Nations among others.
On 26th March 2021, a committee of 13 expert researchers and historians delegated by Emmanuel Macron presented its findings on the role of France during Genocide against Tutsi.
The report indicated that France bears “heavy and overwhelming responsibilities” over tragic history that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which took lives of over 1 million victims.
It was presented two years, after the delegation of 13 historians started reviewing archives on France, Rwanda relations between 1990 and 1994.
The report blames the then French President, François Mitterrand, for a “failure” of policy towards Rwanda in 1994. The findings were made public after years of French official secrecy over links to the Government led by Juvenal Habyarimana.
President Macron appointed the 15-member commission two years ago, giving them access to presidential, diplomatic, military and intelligence archives.
Among the archives are those of Mitterrand, who had close ties to former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana.
Rwanda’s report on the role of France during Genocide was made since 2018.
Speaking to IGIHE, Mukarurinda has talked about the role of Gacaca courts in reconciling Genocide survivors and how they have helped her to forgive perpetrators who killed relatives.
Raised in former Kayumba sector, Mukarurinda was a follower of the Catholic Church. In 1959, the then Government expelled their families from Kigali and settled them to Bugesera where they continued to endure oppression.
Mukarurinda passed Primary Six national examinations but was delisted from students allowed to pursue education in secondary school because she was a Tutsi.
As she narrated, Tutsi were ousted from leadership positions that time and replaced by Hutus so that they could facilitate the provision of a list showing Tutsi targeted to be killed.
“In 1991, our children and brothers realized that things had fallen apart. The then Government started making a list of Tutsi employed in public institutions to be killed. Cell leaders and village leaders were also relieved saying that no Tutsi will assume leadership position again, “revealed Mukarurinda.
They continued to endure persecution until 1994 when the long-planned Genocide began.
On 13th April 1994, she said, a bus brought soldiers and Interahamwe militia in Ntarama and started killing Tutsi.
“They had guns and grenades to kill whoever identified as Tutsi. I was outside with a 9-month old baby on the back. It saw them setting the church ablaze. As they started firing, I immediately run away with my husband,” she revealed.
On 29th April 1994, soldiers reached them in a papyrus marshland where they had sought refuge and heinously killed her children.
“They were many soldiers who surrounded the papyrus marshland and shortly reached me. I heard them saying ‘return them home in Ethiopia’. They entered the papyrus thicket and started stabbing us. They hit me with a thick wooden truncheon on the head and split my nine year old bay into two parts,” she said.
Mukarurinda explained that RPF Inkotanyi soldiers later came to rescue them and started providing first aid to heal the wounds of those who were still breathing.
{{Journey to forgiveness }}
After the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, Mukarurinda supported unity and reconciliation efforts despite tragedies she went through.
In 2003, she become a judge in Gacaca traditional court that was established to provide a solution for the complex nature of the cases related to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
During her duties, Mukarurinda learnt that perpetrators who killed relatives confessed and apologized.
“I was appointed the secretary of Gacaca court in Nyamata. Perhaps, God wanted to make me strong. I used to see files of genocide suspects and meet with convicted perpetrators. Some of them were released upon Presidential mercy,” he noted.
It was not easy for Mukarurinda for forgive a perpetrator who stabbed her but she gradually calmed down when perpetrators revealed whereabouts her parents were killed and dumped.
More perpetrators continued to come for apology that she finally felt relaxed and forgave them. Mukarurinda currently belongs to the same unity and reconciliation group along with forgiven perpetrators.
“We work together and belong to the same unity and reconciliation group. I neither feel suspicious nor associate them with wrongful acts in daily lives because I forgave them,’ she said.
The President of IBUKA in Bugesera district, Chantal Bankundiye has also emphasized that Gacaca courts played a great role in reuniting Rwandans.
“We appreciate the contribution of Gacaca courts and the Government for introducing the approach because it would take so long for many Genocide survivors to get justice considering the enormous backlog of genocide-related cases. Moreover, Gacaca courts helped to unite genocide survivors and perpetrators,” she revealed.
“Unity and reconciliation in Bugesera district stands at good progress despite the sorrow and nightmare Tutsi went through in the area. As of today, there are genocide perpetrators who apologized to offended survivors and forgiven as others who completed their sentence are underway to join the journey,” added Bankundiye.
Experts in history and political science show that France had a strong desire to deepen ties with Rwanda as a country where it could easily have political influence to inculcate French language by all means.
The country feared that French language would become obsolete in case English language is facilitated to spread and dominate in Rwanda would, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo Brazzaville, Central African Republic, and Cameroun among other African countries.
An author and researcher on Rwanda’s history, Innocent Nizeyimana has revealed that President Grégoire Kayibanda held the first visit in France in October 1962 under the leadership of Charles de Gaulle.
In a speech held in Paris, France; Kayibanda thanked De Gaulle for granting Independence to African countries and continuous support towards ‘full independence’ through the ongoing support to attain promote and exploit their natural resources.
At the time, Kayibanda said: “I am hopeful that such support will be extended to us even though were not a colony of France.”
Following the visit, both countries signed the first cooperation agreements on 20th October 1962.
Few days later, French envoys came to Rwanda to make preparations for three cooperation agreements in the areas of economy, culture and cooperation in technical matters.
These agreements were signed on 4th November 1962 but France had no ambassador in Rwanda prior to that time.
Jacques Mullender, the then France’s head of mission for Rwanda and Burundi between 1962-1966 said that his country had to move slowly before deepening ties with Rwanda during post-independence period.
“We refrained from releasing huge funds and expressing strong desire to cultivate ties with Rwanda to avoid jealousy between France and Belgium,” he said.
He went on to explain that Belgium committed to cater for national budgets and invested in mega projects (building airports and telecommunications infrastructure) when Rwanda and Burundi obtained independence.
“Moreover, they would send 200 employees to provide assistance in technical matters in each country. So, we could not allocate huge budget to Rwanda without enough personnel to supervise how the money were utilized,” he said.
Innocent Nizeyimana has explained that Kayibanda did not openly develop strong relations with France lest he clashes with Belgium.
“It is said that France might have been part of plans to overthrow Kayibanda which set ground for new reforms,” he said.
History shows that the first batch of Rwanda’s soldiers went for military training in France in 1972.
{{How Habyarimana fostered relations }}
In the years between 1969 and 1970, Kayibanda expelled people he called ‘undesired’.
These include Belgians, business people from Oman, and Indians.
“This fueled white people’s anger against Kayibanda and gradually broke up with him. However, it is important to note that France had started seeking ways to penetrate into the country during Kayibanda’s leadership,” explained Nizeyimana.
After Juvénal Habyarimana overthrew Kayibanda, France started developing close ties with the new president whose mindsets were different from his predecessor. Two years after taking office, Rwanda signed cooperation agreements with France.
At the time, both countries signed military cooperation agreements. It was the first of its kind signed between both countries.
The agreements incorporated clauses stating that France would provide military trainings and help the country to get weapons. It is said that France provided 4 million of its then currency to Rwanda annually.
Following the signing of these agreements, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing who was the then France President, visited Rwanda, in May 1979 where he spent three days.
He was along with his wife, Anne-Aymone Giscard d’Estaing during their visit to Rwanda in 1979 where they attended the Sixth Conference Franco-Africaine (Franco-African Conference) held in Kigali.
Giscard arrived in ahead of the conference visited various projects in Rwanda and went to Akagera National Park for hunting exercise.
On 18th May 1979, Giscard and Habyarimana with their wives went to former Ruhengeri Prefecture where they visited Ruhengeri Hospital and school of Gendarmerie (a military force with law enforcement duties). They returned to Kigali in the afternoon and signed cooperation agreements.
Part of these agreements include France’s commitment to fund rural development, expansion of Kigali International Airport, building tanks for petroleum products, promoting telecommunication, building a hospital in Gisenyi among others.
Speaking to journalists, both head of states revealed that France would establish a school of nurses additional to Ruhengeri Hospital and providing 50% of funds for expansion of Kigali International Airport.
The Sixth Franco-African Conference ran from Monday 21st May until 22nd May 1979. The conference discussed issues pertaining to advancing Africa’s development and how France can cement its participation.
French report dubbed ‘Quilès’ explains that military training clauses paved the way for strengthening the capacity of Rwanda’s gendarmes to become competent as French counterparts.
These agreements were revised in 1983 to incorporate military cooperation but French soldiers were prohibited to take part in any preparations of war.
These agreements restricting French soldiers’ involvement in wars were still valid at the start of liberation struggle.
In August 1992, existing agreements were revised again whereby Gendarmerie Rwandaise was replaced by Forces Armées Rwandaises (Rwanda Armed Forces) and allowed France’s military to participate in all activities of Rwanda’s military.
The Quilès report explained that the amendments were made two years after RPF Inkotanyi soldiers raided Rwanda for the first time.
“It is unbelievable that French leaders, civilians and soldiers didn’t realize they had spent more than a year participating in military operations on Rwanda’s land without permission. Existing agreements only permitted them to reinforce Gendarmerie not the military,” reads part of the report.
{{France during Genocide against Tutsi }}
Analysts link the agreements to France’s role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi observing that they paved way for support to reinforce Habyarimana’s military to fight RPF Inkotanyi as well as training Interahamwe.
In 1998, France parliament delegated a committee to investigate the country’s role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The committee summoned people including Giscard d’Estaing to shed light on military cooperation agreements signed with Rwanda in 1975 as they were considered to have fueled France’s role in Rwanda.
Giscard d’Estaing replied that he didn’t understand the laws granting the committee to summon the former president for interrogation to explain reasons for activities or politics implemented by the Government he led.
He explained that what happened between his country and Rwanda has no connection to France’s role during genocide.
In 2009; an author called Odile Tobner run a publication explaining that the major purpose of France, Rwanda military cooperation was to inspect the extraction of minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that the role played during genocide was auxiliary.
France has been denying complicity in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi for the past 27 years despite the pressure by non-governmental organizations, journalists and researchers among others urging the country to reveal the truth on its role.
On 26th March 2021, a committee of 13 expert researchers and historians delegated by Emmanuel Macron presented its findings on the role of France during Genocide against Tutsi.
The report indicated that France bears “heavy and overwhelming responsibilities” over tragic history that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which took lives of over 1 million victims.
It was presented two years, after the delegation of 13 historians started reviewing archives on France, Rwanda relations between 1990 and 1994.
The report blames the then French President, François Mitterrand, for a “failure” of policy towards Rwanda in 1994. The findings were made public after years of French official secrecy over links to the Government led by Juvenal Habyarimana.
President Macron appointed the 15-member commission two years ago, giving them access to presidential, diplomatic, military and intelligence archives.
Among the archives are those of Mitterrand, who had close ties to former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana.
An expert in political science and history, Dr. Jean Paul Kimonyo recently told IGIHE that that the relevance of the report relies on its resolutions.
“In fact, the gist of the report lies in its resolutions. It has two resolutions. The first states that French people had heavy and overwhelming responsibility to what happened in Rwanda between 1990 and 1994. Secondly, it is the first time an entity from France makes such a statement. That’s a great milestone,” he said.
“Taking stock of the situation in the past five years, an individual trying to ask former France officials if the country was accomplice to Habyarimana or Genocidal Government was mocked. The report clears France of complicity but asking the question also has a strong relevance,” added Dr. Kimonyo.
He explained that implications of the report proves the country’s role during Genocide particularly allies to the then President Mitterand even though it is not mentioned directly.
Dr. Kimonyo finds that Duclert report is a great step to restoring Rwanda, France relations considering the strong willingness of President Macron since he took office in 2017.
IGIHE has learnt that Sheikh Nshimiyimana lured the boy with gifts to sodomize him at different times.
RIB spokesperson, Dr. Murangira B. Thierry has confirmed to IGIHE that Sheikh Nshimiyimana has been arrested as investigation is underway.
“The arrested man is detained at Nyamata RIB station as investigation is underway to make files that will be transferred to the Prosecution. The boy he is suspected to have defiled was taken to Nyamata Hospital for medical checkup and gather evidences that will be used during court proceedings,” he said.
Dr. Murangira said that such acts won’t be tolerated and reminded the public to provide information to prevent the crime.
“RIB would like to remind Rwandan residents that they should not cover defilement suspects. Whoever commits the crime should face justice. It should be a collective responsibility of every Rwandan to completely prevent the crime,” he noted.
IGIHE has also learnt that Sheikh Nshimiyimana was an Imam of Ngoma mosque in Huye district 2014 before becoming an Imam of a mosque in Bugesera district since 2019.
Upon conviction, article 133 of Rwanda’s penal code stipulates that a person who commits child defilement is liable to imprisonment for a period of not less than 20 years and not more than 25 years, if the victim is 14 years or older.
If child defilement is committed on a child under fourteen (14) years, the penalty is life imprisonment that cannot be mitigated by any circumstances.
Marcel Hitayezu, who was born in 1956, was charged with Genocide and being an accomplice to crimes against humanity, the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office in France said on Friday.
According to AFP, he was arrested on Wednesday at his home in Montlieu-la-Garde, southwestern France.
Prosecutors said Hitayezu was the priest at a church in Mubuga, in Southern Rwanda, when the Genocide took place and in April 1994 withheld food and water to Tutsis who had sought refuge in his church. He instead gave food to extremist Interahamwe militiamen who attacked the refugees, prosecutors added.
“Marcel Hitayezu denied the charges at his initial appearance before a judge,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Rwanda had sought to extradite Hitayezu but France’s Court de Casation, the country’s highest criminal court, in 2016 rejected the request, as it did similar requests by Kigali for others suspected of having taken part in the Genocide that took lives of over 1 million victims.
French authorities had launched a probe into Rwanda’s accusations against Hitayezu in July 2019, three years after the extradition request.
“He was until Wednesday vicar to the priest at the Montlieu-la-Garde church,” the regional archdiocese told AFP.
According to the daily La Croix, Hitayezu spent three years in refugee camps in Eastern Congo before arriving in France in 1998 or 1999. He was given refugee status in France in 2011.
“It’s excellent news,” Alain Gauthier, who has spent years hunting down people living in France suspected of having taken part in the Genocide, told AFP on learning of the arrest.
Gauthier in 2001 also co-founded an association, the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda.
“The church must examine how it gave responsibilities to people suspected of having taken part in the Genocide,” Gauthier added.
Another priest who has taken refuge in France, Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, was also accused of being implicated in the 1994 Genocide. But his case was dismissed by the courts in France.
Munyenyezi arrived in Rwanda last night on 16th April 2021 around 7am, onboard KLM aircraft.
Munyenyezi was brought to Rwanda by two immigration and emigration officials in USA who handed over the suspect to Rwandan counterparts.
She was shortly arrested by Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) for further legal process.
The Acting spokesperson of RIB, Dr. Murangira B. Thierry has told the media that Munyenyezi is facing seven charges linked to her role in Genocide and crimes against humanity.
“Munyenyezi faces charges of manslaughter as Genocide crime, preparation of Genocide, direct or indirect mobilization to perpetrate Genocide, conspiracy during Genocide, extermination as a crime against humanity and conspiracy to commit rape,” he said.
Munyenyezi has been deported to Rwanda after completing 10-year sentence handed by US court for making false statements on her role during Genocide against Tutsi to obtain nationality.
Munyenyezi and her children fled to Kenya after Genocide against Tutsi. He applied for US refugee status in 1995 disguising as one of people affected by Genocide.
Munyenyezi settled in Manchester, New Hampshire, with three young daughters in 1998 after claiming to have been persecuted in Rwanda.
She was granted US nationality in 2003.
Ten years later, she was stripped of US nationality on 21st March 2013 after Manchester Court in New Hampshire State convicted her of complicity during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and making false statements to obtain nationality.
She appealed against the ruling in 2017 but the decision was retained.
Munyenyezi was married to Arsène Shalom Ntahobali who was convicted of complicity in Genocide against Tutsi and handed life sentence by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
Munyenyezi is a daughter-in-law of Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, the former Minister of Family and Women’s Affairs between 1992 and 1994 who was also handed life sentence.
During Genocide, Munyenyezi was a student at the National University of Rwanda (NUR). She was also a member of the ruling party, MRND.
Dr. Murangira has said that the woman was seen at different roadblocks checking identities of women and girls to be given pass or not.
When she identified a female Tutsi, Murangira explained, Munyenyezi requested Interahamwe militia to rape them at Ihuriro Hotel where Pauline Nyiramasuhuko lived.
Munyenyezi is also of accused of participating in meetings preparing Genocide and pronouncing words mobilizing killings of Tutsi.
“She once shot dead a nun using Pistol after ordering Interahamwe to rape her. She was raped at the hotel,” said Dr. Murangira.
Munyenyezi perpetrated these crimes in former Commune Ngoma, Prefecture Butare in the current Huye district.
She becomes the 5th Genocide suspect, USA deports to Rwanda following Enos Iragaba Kagaba in 2005, Jean Mary Vianney Mudahinyuka in 2011, Marie Claire Mukeshimana in 2011 and Dr. Léopold Munyakazi in 2016.
Munyenyezi, 51, has three children. She was taken to RIB station in Remera from where his files will be transferred to the Prosecution.
The request was made yesterday on Thursday 15th March 2021 during a ceremony to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and according decent burial to 98 remains of Genocide victims at Ruhanga memorial in Rusororo sector.
These remains were recently exhumed from different parts of Gasabo district.
Ruhanga is among places holding unique history where Tutsi resisted Interahamwe militia using traditional arms. They however ended up being killed as Interahamwe sought interventions from soldiers to kill Tutsi.
As the soldiers came, Tutsi were taken inside the Anglican Church in the area where they were killed and burnt using fuel.
During the ceremony, the representative of IBUKA, organization umbrella of genocide survivors in Gasabo district requested authorities to build a wall bearing names of Tutsi killed during Genocide so that they can be remembered easily and preserve history.
“We cannot forget killed relatives when we see names written somewhere. Building a wall bearing their names would help us, friends and future generations to remember them easily,” he said.
The executive secretary of Gasabo district, Umwali Pauline has told IGIHE that they are going to make plan so that the requested wall can be built.
“It is the responsibility of leaders to ensure proper maintenance of memorials, organizing commemoration events. We have understood their request and the next move is to see what we can do in the right using available resources,” she explained.
Located at the former Anglican Church, Ruhanga Genocide Memorial accommodates remains of 37 747 genocide victims excluding 98 remains buried yesterday.
Munyenyezi is expected to arrive in Rwanda this Friday 16th April 2021.
Munyenyezi fled to USA in 2003 where she requested political refugee status.
Ten years later, she was stripped of US nationality on 21st March 2013 after Manchester Court in New Hampshire State convicted her of complicity during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
During trial proceedings, the court explained that Munyenyezi helped Genocide perpetrators to spot Tutsi at the road block set near a hotel of her father-in-law in Butare.
The court also identified her as one of key members of the then ruling political party, MRND that planned and executed Genocide against Tutsi.
Munyenyezi and her children fled to Kenya after Genocide against Tutsi. He applied for US refugee status in 1995 disguising as one of people affected by Genocide.
Munyenyezi settled in Manchester, New Hampshire, with three young daughters in 1998 after claiming to have been persecuted in Rwanda.
She caught the attention of the US authorities several years later after giving false testimony on behalf of her husband and mother-in-law who were later sentenced to life in prison for genocide and other crimes against humanity by an international tribunal.
The grenade blasted on Thursday 15th April 2021 morning when the boy climbed onto the rooftop of their house to fix a roofing tile.
As he reached the rooftop, he saw a cord fastened to a metal object which he took down and played with it.
His sister and mother warned him against playing with the object which shortly started exuding smokes.
The executive secretary of Gacurabwenge sector, Christine Nyirandayisabye has told IGIHE that the victim immediately threw the object to a nearby avocado tree and exploded instantly.
The boy was injured on the shoulder and arm, on the belly around the waist. He was immediately taken for medical attention.
Local leaders rushed to the scene where they realized that it was a grenade that had been laid on the roof of their house.
Nyirandayisaba appealed to the residents to alert local leaders in case they find strange objects and avoid playing with them.
“We would like to comfort residents and reassure that their security is guaranteed. We also advise them against playing with strange objects,” she said.
