Almost two years after the French president made an iconic trip to Rwanda, the presidency on Friday announced a memorial to the victims of the 1994 genocide.
“The mere erection of a memorial in the heart of the French capital to the victims of the 1994 genocide is a major step in France’s recognition of its responsibility in the Paris-Kigali reconciliation process,” he said.
“It is not repentance as such but it looks really similar to me. It is something that expresses France’s recognition of its responsibility for what took place.
Two reports completed in March and April 2021 examined France’s role in the genocide, which claimed an estimated 800,000 lives.
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The Duclert report found that the French government bore “significant” responsibility for “facilitating early genocide.”
“It’s not easy for France to overcome that because there are obstacles,” said Cedik Aba.
“The military lobby, for example, and some groups on the left in President Mitterrand’s years who believe that France did nothing wrong.
They are able to deny responsibility for the Duclert report and erect a memorial: All of this is important and it will not wash away the pain of the survivors or restore the lives of those who died, but it is symbolic.
The Rwandan government and genocide survivor organizations often accuse France of training and arming militias and former government forces who have spearheaded the bloodshed.
The announcement of the memorial coincides with the start of the 29th anniversary of the genocide.
