Article

2005-09-29 Africa: Subsaharan

De Villepin (who is a man) and his role in the Rwanda genocide

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Posted by anonymous5089 2005-09-29 07:21|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 To say the truth Villepin was acting on the orders of a right wing government who was trying to limit the involvement of France in the Rwandan conflict. had he had his way Francois Mitterand (socialist) would have had the French Army driving back the FPR (Tutsi) so genocide would have continued. Also the Rwandan president talls that he made a visit to Hubert Vedrine (I don't recall if he was Foreign Minister or his aide ie Villepin's predecessor) during the preceeding socilaist government and he was told "if you try to conquer Rwanda no Tutsi will be left alive". I hear the interview and the wording was (purposefully?) ambiguous: not clear if he was threatening or warning.

Just to recall that the main responsabilities with the genocide had to be laid at the feet of the socialists and specially of Francois Mitterrand.

Context: The right had been in power only for a year a the moment of the genocide (after 5 years of socialist government) and only for theree years in the thirteen preceeding years. In addition Foreign Policy has been traditionally the "reserved domain" of French Presidents since de Gaulle: ie it is the President not the First Minister or the Foreign Minister who determine France's Foreign policy. Even when the first minister (who has theorically the real power) in charge has been from an opposite party the President has ever been the real boss in Foreign matters.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2005-09-29 11:35|| 2005-09-29 11:35|| Front Page Top

#2 More context: the French President is the commander in chief so it is him not the first minister who can give orders to Army units. The FM can block military initiatives by not financing (that is how the operation for driving back the FPR was downgraded to pseudo-humanitarian Manta) but not initiating them.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2005-09-29 11:42|| 2005-09-29 11:42|| Front Page Top

#3 JFM,
If you ever want it I got about 45 mins hi-res video of that Ivory Coast shooting. Sent out by their national radio station as raw footage on a bit-torrent right after it happened. Amnesty Int. refused to look at it.

Posted by 3dc 2005-09-29 11:49|| 2005-09-29 11:49|| Front Page Top

#4 I have seen (part of) them

Posted by JFM">JFM 2005-09-29 18:16|| 2005-09-29 18:16|| Front Page Top

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