Survivors demand full disclosure of French archives

Survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi are calling on the French government to accord full access to documents about the Genocide that were declassified early this week. The call was made by Dr Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu, the president of Ibuka. Ibuka is an umbrella of associations advocating for the interests of survivors of the Genocide. “We want full access to all documents because that is what would lead us to people who have eluded justice for long to be prosecuted,” he said. The French government’s move to declassify documents related to Rwanda between 1990 and 1995 was welcomed, but with caution. “We had for long asked for the declassification of these documents. The fact that France has done so during the commemoration period sends a good message. However, we have concerns regarding the kind of documents to be released,” Dr Dusingizemungu told The New Times. Reports indicate that the data, which includes documents from diplomatic and military advisers, as well as minutes from ministerial and defence meetings, will be available to researchers and survivors. “Our concerns are about the fact that the documents are declassified on the same day French foreign affairs minister Laurent Fabius denied any form of involvement in the Genocide, which gives us a feeling that the declassified files may as well be filtered,” Dusingizemungu said. He added that that there is a lot of interest in the communication between the French government and former Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana’s government and that is information that needs to be included. Petitions The president of the Group of the former student survivors of the Genocide (GAERG), Charles Habonimana, said the French move comes after a petition issued by his organisation together with European Grassroots Antiracist Movement (EGAM). “We partnered with EGAM to petition the French government to declassify documents about Rwanda. Our petition went as far as reaching the French President’s Office which might have resulted into the latest development,” Habonimana said. However, he also expressed reservations, saying their concern is that the French government said some of the ‘state secrets’ will not be made public. “This makes us doubt the kind of content they are releasing but it’s the first step, we will keep pushing,” Habonimana said. EGAM is a European-based organisation that fights against racism, antisemitism and racial discriminations in Europe at both grassroots and institutional levels. Its president, Benjamin Abtan, is in Rwanda for the 21st commemoration of the Genocide. Speaking to journalists in Kigali on Wednesday, Abtan criticised the French government’s approach towards the Genocide against the Tutsi. “We are not sure if the decision concerns all the archives and if they have not been filtered, but if it’s all the archives then it’s a good move,” he said. “However, the point is what is the political stunt in this? Yesterday, the president (François Hollande) remained silent over the matter, and the minister for foreign affairs (Fabius), while in the national assembly, answered a question, saying that France ‘had nothing to do with the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and that it fought most against Genocide’, which is completely untrue,” Abtan added. The activist said his organisation would step up pressure on Paris to ensure they reveal the truth. “We know about the stances and the responsibilities, not of France but of some French people who were at the top in 1994 and supported the perpetrators before, during and after the Genocide,” he said. “It is very sad that on the 21st commemoration there was silence from President Hollande and a bad statement from Fabius, his foreign affairs minister,” Abtan said.

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Survivors demand full disclosure of French archives