“Rwanda’s untold story.” : really?

The broadcasting of a documentary on BBC2, lately, about the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda has stirred up numerous and legitimate reactions. Even if the allegations developed in the film , are ,for the most part, overused , they can only create doubt and perplexity upon those who don’t really know what it is all about and feed revisionism , all too alive, especially in France.

Accuse President Kagame of shooting down president HABYARIMANA’splane is to cling to judge Bruguière’s conclusions, and forget that they belong to the past . A new French magistrate, judge Marc TREVIDIC , has clearly asserted and proved that the missiles came from the government-run barracks in Kanombe or nearby but without giving names of the killers.This very judge ,as it is said since a long time, would be about to order the release of the procedure about the 9 high political members taken to court by the first judge, such as Mr NYAMWASA, himself! Together with the accusation of shooting the presidential plane, they don’t forget to blame President KAGAME of starting the Tutsi genocide . Who can still possibly believe it?

President KAGAME and the RPF have not stopped the genocide! It is obvious that, at the beginning of July 1994, when the RPF forces took control over most parts of the country, the genocide stopped. What is this”Rwanda’s untold story” then, that some pretend to teach us? Mr NYAMWASA, who wants to make revelations, who pretends to be an eyewitness, must not forget that he might be responsible of the assassination and taken to court!

In this documentary, the speakers are not unknown. Mr NYAMWASA and Mr RUDASINGWA , not to mention the others ,have left  Rwanda for some reasons which are ,maybe ,  not as honorable as they pretend.Their ambitions and the feeling of being underestimate encouraged them to leave their country “biting the hand that feed them” and denouncing President KAGAME, once his close collaborators. President Kagame has become the man to kill, who stopped and prevented their excessive ambition to unfold . Maybe it makes sense, though rather petty, since nothing is said about the misappropriations they might have done.

To go back to President HABYARIMANA ‘s assassination, pretend that it is the “trigger” for the genocide, it is to forget the Tutsi extermination since the beginning of the 60’s : the “little genocide” in 1963 in the GIKONGORO  district, the killings at the beginning of the 70’s , the slaughter of the Bagogwe in 1991, of Bugesera in1993, and Leon MUGESERA’s speech in 1992, in KABAYA (surrounded by high members of the party) .We   must bear these events in mind.The shooting of the plane must be considered as A signal given to the most extremist parts and the militia : the interahamwe , to start the job. We all know the following story.

The documentary hands over to “experts” about the Rwanda issue (some sort of scientific support) . We all   know professor Felip Reyntens’ views and no need to comment them. The most surprising speeches come from 2 American scientists, professor Allan Stam and Christian Davenport, who totally unrespectful  of the victims and their families, and opposed  to the biggest international organizations and well known  experts, dare claiming that only  200 000 Tutsi have been killed, whereas 800 000  hutu victims have been registered. Isn’t it a strange way to re write History ?   Don’t forget that the Habyarimana power has always underestimated the official number of Tutsi ,to justify the 10% share awarded to schools and administrations.

Strangely enough, the1994 French government, whereas Mr Blair is strongly attacked, is saved. It is also a way to react against numerous studies which try to assert that France and its army have played an important part in Rwanda , between 1990 and1994. It is well known that there were close links between the 2 countries. A worth knowing anecdote :has Colonel Pierre Celestin RWAGAFILITA ,  ( head of the Rwanda police forces ) ,not been decorated of the French “legion d’honneur” by French authorities  ? We might smile if not, in this context, a shocking dishonorable behavior!

It is useless to go further. There were  numerous reactions in front of such a biased documentary. Beside a strong blow given to the victims and their families for the 20^th commemoration of the Tutsi genocide , this documentary is an encouragement for all the people engaged in those tragic events  to go on undermining and misinform the international community. The main and only connection ,which seems to unite them is their hatred of President KAGAME , whose leadership they refuse, whose way of governing they reject, considering the man as the”worst dictators” (an expression widely used in other places and times)

It is a misunderstanding of what Rwanda really is . Trying to rebuild itself after going through such tragic events. As in any   other countries, Rwanda faces problems, but its reconstruction  will only be achieved with the renouncement of leaders, ready to go forward without forgetting the past.

In the CPCR we keep saying and repeating that Justice , and only Justice, will be able to reconcile Rwandan people. Justice, especially towards those who fled, without hatred and vengence. The BBC documentary doesn’t honor its authors and doesn’t allow us to understand what really happened in Rwanda twenty years ago until now. It is more a smoke screen which fuels  doubt and bewilderment in our minds. Events not only about Rwanda but also concerning Humanity , as a whole . “Rwanda’s untold story” . Really ?