Members of Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR) and Democratic Union of Rwandan People (UDPR) call for protests against France
Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR) and Democratic Union of Rwandan People (UDPR) have requested the Rwandan community to protest against France’s continued intention to mislead the general public about their role in 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
France was a friend of Rwanda during President Juvenal Habyarimana’s regime. It played a big role in arming, training and providing other supports to the regime which prepared and executed the genocide where over a million Tutsi perished.
In a press conference on Monday, PSR and UDPR officials said that to mislead the public about their role, France has been faking reports accusing Rwanda senior military officers of committing crimes, including shooting President Habyarimana’s plane.
In 2006, French Judge Jean Louis Bruguiere issued arrest warrants for 9 senior officers accusing them for having assassinated President Habyarimana.
“When they attack them they also attack us because they stand for us. Even if soldiers are not elected but they liberated our country,” said Pie Nizeyimana, UDPR President.
“So when you want to defame somebody who stopped the Genocide and took us where we are today in a peaceful country based on false testimonies, it is disrespectful and we have to protest against that as Rwandans.”
False witnesses include James Munyandinda, a former RPA – soldier who testified before a French court in March this year; Abdul Ruzibiza also former RPA soldier and Aloys Ruyenzi.
The two political parties said they have concluded a research where they found that that President Habyarimana’s plane was shot by French and Hutu extremist soldiers.
“After 23 years PSR and UDPR have conducted a research and found that France and Habyarimana’s extremist Hutu soldiers are behind the president’s plane crash,” said Jean Baptist Rucibigango, PSR President.
According to Rucibigango, the reports and biased testimonies that France uses is away of denying their role in the genocide and Rwandans should stand and protest against it.
One of the ways members of the two parties are suggesting to Rwandans is peaceful demonstrations and writing letters to several countries to make awareness of France’s role in the Genocide.
