DATE=1/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225124
TITLE= FRANCE RWANDA (L)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: NEARLY FOUR YEARS AFTER THE MASSACRES OF MOSTLY ETHNIC
TUTSIS BY THE THEN-RULING HUTUS IN RWANDA, A LEADING FRENCH DAILY
NEWSPAPER BLAMES FRANCE FOR THE TRAGEDY, CITING DOCUMENTS SHOWING
THAT FRANCE WAS STILL SENDING THE HUTUS ARMS, EVEN AFTER THE
EXTENT OF THE KILLINGS WAS KNOWN. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM
PARIS.
TEXT: AT LEAST 850-THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE DIED
DURING RWANDA'S THREE-MONTH LONG GENOCIDE. AT THE TIME, FRENCH
OFFICIALS REACTED ANGRILY TO SUGGESTIONS IN FOREIGN MEDIA THAT
FRANCE HAD ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE CRISIS.
NOW, THE CONSERVATIVE DAILY "LE FIGARO," IN THE FIRST OF FOUR
ARTICLES ON FRENCH POLICY IN RWANDA, BLAMES THE FORMER SOCIALIST
PRESIDENT FRANCOIS MITTERRAND FOR BACKING A PRO-HUTU STANCE IN
THE FORMER BELGIAN COLONY.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE NEWSPAPER SAYS THE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT
UNDER THE THEN PRIME MINISTER EDOUARD BALLADUR WAS EQUALLY TO
BLAME, SINCE IT COMPLIED WITH THE PRESIDENT'S WISHES. //OPT//
THE NEWSPAPER QUALIFIED THIS AS "SOLIDARITY BETWEEN
DECISION-MAKERS." //END OPT//
LE FIGARO PUBLISHED A DOCUMENT ON HEADED NOTEPAPER OF THE
"SOFREMAS" COMPANY, WHICH HANDLES FRENCH ARMS EXPORTS.
//OPT// ADDRESSED TO THE DEFENSE ATTACHE OF THE RWANDAN EMBASSY
IN PARIS, THIS CONFIRMS AN ORDER FOR MORTAR SHELLS WORTH JUST
OVER EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. //END OPT//
PROMISING "IMMEDIATE DELIVERY," THE DOCUMENT WAS DATED MAY 6,
1994, -- A GOOD MONTH AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE GENOCIDE IN
RWANDA AND AFTER INTERNATIONAL CALLS TO BAN ARMS SALES TO THE
RWANDAN GOVERNMENT.
BY THE TIME FRENCH TROOPS IN THE COUNTRY TOOK PART IN A UNITED
NATIONS PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN JUNE OF THAT YEAR, LE FIGARO
SAYS THE ORDER HAD BEEN GIVEN TO STOP ARMS SUPPLIES REACHING
RWANDA.
BUT BY THAT TIME, THE NEWSPAPER SAYS, MOST OF THE KILLING HAD
BEEN DONE. DESPITE THE ORDER, LE FIGARO SAYS ARMS WERE STILL
BEING DELIVERED IN JULY 1994, BUT WERE TRANSITING THROUGH GOMA,
IN WHAT WAS THEN ZAIRE.
//REST OPT// NOTING THAT BELGIUM HAD HELD AN INVESTIGATION INTO
THE RWANDAN CRISIS AND INTO THE ROLE OF BELGIAN POLITICIANS AND
THE BELGIAN MILITARY, LE FIGARO ASKS WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO FRENCH
INQUIRY?
IN LE FIGARO'S WORDS, "ACCUSED OF COMPLICITY, IMPLICATED IN ARMS
SALES, SUSPECTED OF BACKING A REGIME THAT WAS COMMITTING
GENOCIDE, THE HOMELAND OF HUMAN RIGHTS (FRANCE) OPTED TO KEEP
QUIET." (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/PCF
12-Jan-98 8:18 AM EST (1318 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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