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| France accused in Rwanda genocide | France accused in Rwanda genocide |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Rwanda has accused France of playing an active role in the genocide of 1994, in which about 800,000 people were killed. | Rwanda has accused France of playing an active role in the genocide of 1994, in which about 800,000 people were killed. |
| An independent Rwandan commission said France was aware of preparations for the genocide and helped train the ethnic Hutu militia perpetrators. | An independent Rwandan commission said France was aware of preparations for the genocide and helped train the ethnic Hutu militia perpetrators. |
| The report also accused French troops of direct involvement in the killings. | The report also accused French troops of direct involvement in the killings. |
| It named 33 senior French military and political figures that it said should be prosecuted. France has previously denied any such responsibility. | It named 33 senior French military and political figures that it said should be prosecuted. France has previously denied any such responsibility. |
| Among those named in the report were the late former President, Francois Mitterrand, and the then Prime Minister Edouard Balladur. | Among those named in the report were the late former President, Francois Mitterrand, and the then Prime Minister Edouard Balladur. |
| Two men who went on to become prime minster were also named - Alain Juppe, the foreign minister at the time, and his then chief aide, Dominique de Villepin. | Two men who went on to become prime minster were also named - Alain Juppe, the foreign minister at the time, and his then chief aide, Dominique de Villepin. |
| The French foreign ministry told the BBC it would only respond to the fresh allegations after reading the report, which was released on Tuesday afternoon. | The French foreign ministry told the BBC it would only respond to the fresh allegations after reading the report, which was released on Tuesday afternoon. |
| Checkpoints | Checkpoints |
| Earlier this year France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner denied French responsibility in connection with the genocide, but said political errors had been made. | Earlier this year France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner denied French responsibility in connection with the genocide, but said political errors had been made. |
| The Rwandan government has urged the relevant authorities to bring the accused French politicians and military officials to justice Rwandan justice ministry Report raises issue of motive | The Rwandan government has urged the relevant authorities to bring the accused French politicians and military officials to justice Rwandan justice ministry Report raises issue of motive |
| Some 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu militias in just 100 days in 1994. | Some 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu militias in just 100 days in 1994. |
| The report says France backed Rwanda's Hutu government with political, military, diplomatic and logistical support. | The report says France backed Rwanda's Hutu government with political, military, diplomatic and logistical support. |
| It accuses France of training Hutu militias responsible for the slaughter, helping plan the genocide, and participating in the killings. | It accuses France of training Hutu militias responsible for the slaughter, helping plan the genocide, and participating in the killings. |
| "French forces directly assassinated Tutsis and Hutus accused of hiding Tutsis... French forces committed several rapes on Tutsi survivors," said a statement from the justice ministry cited by AFP news agency. | "French forces directly assassinated Tutsis and Hutus accused of hiding Tutsis... French forces committed several rapes on Tutsi survivors," said a statement from the justice ministry cited by AFP news agency. |
| "Considering the seriousness of the alleged crimes, the Rwandan government has urged the relevant authorities to bring the accused French politicians and military officials to justice," the statement said. | "Considering the seriousness of the alleged crimes, the Rwandan government has urged the relevant authorities to bring the accused French politicians and military officials to justice," the statement said. |
| It further alleged that French forces did nothing to challenge checkpoints used by Hutu forces in the genocide. | It further alleged that French forces did nothing to challenge checkpoints used by Hutu forces in the genocide. |
| "They clearly requested that the Interahamwes continue to man those checkpoints and kill Tutsis attempting to flee," it said. | |
| Testimonies | Testimonies |
| The BBC's Geoffrey Mutagoma in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, says the commission spent nearly two years investigating France's alleged role in the genocide. | The BBC's Geoffrey Mutagoma in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, says the commission spent nearly two years investigating France's alleged role in the genocide. |
| It heard testimonies from genocide survivors, researchers, writers and reporters. | It heard testimonies from genocide survivors, researchers, writers and reporters. |
| The 500-page document was presented to the Rwanda's government last November, but was not made public until now. | The 500-page document was presented to the Rwanda's government last November, but was not made public until now. |
| Rwanda has repeatedly accused France of arming and training the Hutu militias that perpetrated the genocide, and of dragging its feet in co-operating with the investigations that followed. | Rwanda has repeatedly accused France of arming and training the Hutu militias that perpetrated the genocide, and of dragging its feet in co-operating with the investigations that followed. |
| France has maintained that its forces helped protect civilians during a UN-sanctioned mission in Rwanda at the time. | France has maintained that its forces helped protect civilians during a UN-sanctioned mission in Rwanda at the time. |
| The two countries have had a frosty relationship since 2006 when a French judge implicated Rwandan President Paul Kagame in the downing in 1994 of then-President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane - an event widely seen as triggering the killings. | The two countries have had a frosty relationship since 2006 when a French judge implicated Rwandan President Paul Kagame in the downing in 1994 of then-President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane - an event widely seen as triggering the killings. |
| President Kagame has always denied the charge. | President Kagame has always denied the charge. |
| He says Mr Habyarimana, a Hutu, was killed by Hutu extremists who then blamed the incident on Tutsi rebels to provide the pretext for the genocide. | He says Mr Habyarimana, a Hutu, was killed by Hutu extremists who then blamed the incident on Tutsi rebels to provide the pretext for the genocide. |
| Are you in Rwanda or France? What's your reaction to the story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in Rwanda or France? What's your reaction to the story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |