As part of the efforts to preserve the history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) on Monday, March 8, launched a new book written in the three national languages; Kinyarwanda, English and French.

The book "Rwanda 1991-1994: Preparation and execution of the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in Rwanda," (free PDF download) has five chapters highlighting key elements and events about the nation's dark past.

According to Jean-Damascène Bizimana, the Executive Secretary of CNLG, the book will supplement already existing body of knowledge on the Genocide, and it captures key moments in the planning and execution of the Genocide.

"It will provide the country's young generations with the tools of knowledge of this tragic past and enable them to work for the continued reconstruction of a united and peaceful Rwanda," said Bizimana.

"Our young people should have a thirst for knowledge of what happened and also be well equipped with information to fight Genocide deniers."

Bizimana said the launch comes as the country prepares to commemorate the 1994 Genocide for the 27th time and it will be helpful as people will not participate in huge national commemorative events as it was in the past because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Best laid plan

Their research, he noted, clearly indicates that the events that culminated into the 100-day massacre of the Tutsi had long been prepared.

Bizimana said: "The Genocide against the Tutsi was not an accident or a result of a plane crash that carried President Habyarimana, as some deniers and negationists have claimed. It was planned for a long time and executed according to plan."

"Being in three languages means that many people will be able to read and know what really happened since most other books were only in one language."

The first chapter highlights the important events that marked the planning of the Genocide against the Tutsi since 1990 at the start of the war of liberation. The second looks at some of the massacres committed during the Genocide.

"Many books have been written about the Genocide against the Tutsi but none has given a detailed description of events in key places around the country," Bizimana said.

The third chapter looks at the leading role played by some members of the genocidal government.

The fourth shows the role of some doctors and other staff from hospitals and health centers in the Genocide. One of the hallmarks of the 1994 Genocide was that it was carried out everywhere be it in churches, chapels, hospitals and clinics. Even professionals who were responsible for protecting human lives, including doctors who were at the forefront of committing Genocide, especially in hospitals, health centers and clinics.

France's support

The fifth chapter demonstrates France's support for the genocidal government, as well as the UN's delay in recognizing that a Genocide was being committed against the Tutsi, before accepting evidences of that Genocide.

The book notes that France continued to support the criminal government during the Genocide, by supplying weapons despite the fact that the United Nations had banned it.

"Rwandan military envoys were received by senior French military officials to discuss the issue of armament, followed by sending French soldiers to Operation Turquoise under the cover of a humanitarian operation authorized by the UN."

As noted, the French military was under cover of assistance, but in reality, had come to support the genocidal Government.

Operation Turquoise was intended to establish "Hutu land" and it was clear that the operation came as a result of continued military support that France continuously provided to the criminal government and its forces since the beginning of the war in 1990.

Meanwhile, the book also highlights how the UN took long to acknowledge that the Tutsi in Rwanda were being subjected to Genocide.

The Security Council had been ignoring the issue of the Genocide against the Tutsi since April 7, 1994, and had also reduced the capacity of the then UN mission to only 250 soldiers.

"Unending discussions went on and some powerful countries like France and United Nations refused to identify the massacre of the Tutsi in Rwanda as Genocide yet they were given tangible information on the massacres," Bizimana said.

Among others, the book also notes that the genocidal government even killed foreigners who opposed the plan to exterminate the Tutsi. One such victim was an Italian called Antonia Locatelli who was the Director of the Nyamata Vocational Training Centre.

She was killed on the night of March 9 to 10, 1992, by a gendarme called Epimaque Ulimubenshi due to the advocacy done for Tutsi massacres on Radio France Internationale (RFI).