For over three decades, survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi have carried an unhealed wound, one deepened by the knowledge that many of those who planned and executed the killings found safe havens far from the land they ravaged. Some reinvented themselves under new names; others moved freely in countries that had promised never again to tolerate crimes against humanity. This week, justice caught up with one of them. France’s decision to uphold on appeal the 24-year prison sentence for Sosthène Munyemana who is infamously known as the Butcher of Tumba marks a moment of long-overdue accountability. It is a welcome development and a reminder that, however long it takes, the truth does not expire. France deserves commendation for this ruling. It signals that impunity, even when cloaked in time or distance, cannot be permanent. For survivors, it offers a measure of relief; a sense that the world has not entirely forgotten their pain, nor the promises made in the aftermath of genocide. It also restores some faith in the principle that justice, though slow, can still be done. But this victory must not breed complacency. France, like several other nations, continues to host individuals indicted for their role in the Genocide against the Tutsi, most of them key architects. Some of them still live freely, even defiantly, in European capitals, where they continue to promote their genocidal agenda. Their continued liberty dishonors both the victims and the values these nations claim to uphold. The ruling against Munyemana should therefore be a wake-up call not only for France, but for the broader international community. Justice must not stop with one conviction. Every fugitive who found refuge abroad must be held to account. Whether through extradition to Rwanda or trials in their host countries, impunity must end. It is never too late to do the right thing. France has taken a step in the right direction. Others must now follow. For the survivors, every act of justice — no matter how delayed — is a reminder that the world still has the capacity to remember, and to do right.
