The Delegation of Genocide survivors have exposed France’s role in planning and executing Rwanda genocide against Tutsi
A delegation of Rwanda Genocide survivors has accessed the EU parliament in Brussels where they raised important concerns on the fight against genocide denial.
Six members of the alumni of survivors of genocide against Tutsi students’ association (GAERG) are conducting seminars in France schools on the role of foreign actors in the Genocide.
They addressed a plenary session at the EU parliament.
About a Month ago, a delegation of EU members of parliament visited Rwanda after which they filed a report that undermined Rwanda’s justice and democracy efforts.
The report followed France’s suggestion seeking another investigation in the shooting down of the plane that was carrying former President Juvenal Habyarimana.
The French demands are aimed at blaming Rwandan officials despite previous report by French nationals who found that France is responsible.
Barely two weeks ago, Rwanda released a list of French officials and senior officers that aided the former regime in Rwanda to plan and execute the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi which claimed a million lives.
All those factors put together serve as a proof that the intention of the MPs is but a decision the Western countries have embraced to mislead about their role in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Olivier Mazimpaka Camarade, the President of GAERG presented a speech in the European Parliament highlighting the fight against genocide denial and mass atrocities; Brussels, 15 November 2016.
Olivier Mazimpaka Camarade, the President GAERG
Dear MP’s
Ladies and Gentleman
We are a delegation of students and graduates survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, from both the AERG – Association des Eleves et Etudiants Rescapes du Genocide and GAERG -Groupe des Anciens Etudiants Rescapes du Genocide.
We represent thousands of survivors of a Genocide that cut short a million lives of Tutsis; a tragedy in which our brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents, relatives, friends and other cherished beings perished.
A Genocide that was meticulously conceived, designed, planned, financed and executed. A Genocide that is now in its final stage: The Denial. A Denial being nurtured by the silence and indifference of the international community, a community legally and officially represented in this room today.
Let’s assume it was an appreciation error. ..yes, and we are not here to claim for the “non-assistance aux personnes en danger,”of the time, though silence is its other major form.
Assuming the international community did not know there was a genocide happening in Rwanda though for some unfortunately “a genocide in ‘those’ countries of ours was not such an important issue” NOT enough to disturb the media that was “busy” covering other “important events and festivities” that were occurring during those very days.
We have seen, heard and joined our sincere and loud voices to the “I am France, I am Charlie…I am…..I am…..”…..
We joined our voices and compassion despite the total absence of “I am Rwanda”….I am Tutsi….in 1994, yet a genocide is a genocide, and after all, we are all human beings with flesh and having blood flowing in our veins and arteries.
Where has gone the “responsibility to intervene”? To NOT watch an entire race being slaughtered?
We currently standing on a land that is second, after France, to host a big number of alleged genocide perpetrators.
History is history, whether good or bad, being annoying to a certain political interest or not…. like our President Paul Kagame said,” After all, les faits sont têtus”.
Dear MPs,
What explanations would you give to your citizens for deducting from taxes (from revenues hardly and honestly earned) a considerable portion to offer decent social living standards to known genocidaires?
How is the security of your citizens ensured when your children are obliged to live with people who did not hesitate to kill their own country-mates? These people ride on the same buses with you, study in the same schools with your children and relatives, and live in the same neighborhoods. Some of them are even becoming, bit by bit, members of your extended families by marrying your sons and daughters, and befriending your relatives.
On the other hand, Rwanda has decided to learn from its past and rebuild itself as a nation. Kigali, our country’s capital city, is now known as the cleanest city on the continent. We now have houses, although most of us have lost homes.
Our country tried its best in terms of peace, unity and reconciliation. The government requested us, Rwandan and especially genocide survivors, the most difficult thing in life: living side by side with those who killed our families.
We acknowledge that after all, they are fellow Rwandans. Living together as Rwandans has been possible through various home-grown initiatives, among them reconciliatory and re-uniting justice mechanisms.
However all these efforts cannot reach further without rebuilding our hearts, without justice. It cannot go further with the international community’s continued silence. Institutions like the European Union are best placed to take action towards bringing to justice all those genocide perpetrators roaming cities on this continent.
When I was young, my father used to tell us that “parliament: in French” is where elected people “parlent= talk” on behalf of others. Unfortunately he is no longer alive. I would tell him that he either lied to me or ignored another version of “parliament” that does not “speak out” or only speaks out against selected issues.
I might also be mistaken, that is why we have travelled all the way from the very heart of Africa, Rwanda, to meet and speak with you. I guess and hope that I am talking to the “parliament” in the real sense of its name.
If you cannot help me, at least help Amanda Uwisanga, this 16 year-old who travelled all the way with us to see how the developed world looks like. A developed world that keeps giving us justice lessons and sending “justice experts” to our countries.
She just does not understand how the same countries with the best courts and justice systems are the ones giving safe haven to those who killed her grandparents, uncles and unties.
On behalf of AERG – Association des Eleves et Etudiants Rescapes du Genocide and GAERG – Groupe des Anciens Etudiants Rescapes du Genocide and the community of genocide survivors in general, allow me to conclude by expressing our heartfelt gratitude to individuals and organisations across Europe and all over the world who have decided to break the cycle of silence, and speak against evil. Special thanks to the EGAM- European Grassroots Anti-racist Movement- team that made this trip and all related logistics possible.
I call upon all in this room to join in the fight against injustice, thus we can dignify the more than a million lives lost.
