Synopses & Reviews
The massacre of one million Rwandan Tutsis by ethnic Hutus in 1994 has become a symbol of the international community’s helplessness in the face of human rights atrocities. It is assumed that the West was well-intentioned, but ultimately ineffectual. But as Andrew Wallis reveals in this shocking book, one country -- France -- was secretly providing military, financial and diplomatic support to the genocidaires all along. Based on new interviews with key players and eye-witnesses, and previously unreleased documents, Swindells’ book tells a story which many have suspected, but never seen set out before. France, Swindell discovers, was keen to defend its influence in Africa, even if it meant complicity in genocide, for as French President Francois Mitterrand once said: “in countries like that, genocide is not so important”. Swindell’s riveting expose of the French role in one of the darkest chapters of human history will provoke furious debate, denials, and outrage.
Review
"...exposing the extent to which the Rwandan genocide was result of a proxy war between France and US over control of some of the world's greatest mineral wealth..." --
Morning Star "Wallis' riverting expose of the French role in one of the darkest chapters of human history will provoke furious debate, denial, and outrage." --
African Business "As a survey of this episode [Frances support of the Rwandan regime during the genocide] Wallis book does offer new insights…I recommend this book to all who want to understand what happened in Rwanda. I would especially recommend it given current French and French-proxy efforts to market the ‘two genocide pabulum espoused by the surviving Hutu extremists and their supporters." --Thomas P. Odom, Small Wars Journal
Synopsis
The massacre of 1 million Rwandan Tutsis by ethnic Hutus in 1994 has become a symbol of the international community's helplessness in the face of human rights atrocities. It is assumed that the West was well-intentioned, but ultimately ineffectual. But as Andrew Wallis reveals in this shocking book, one country - France - was secretly providing military, financial and diplomatic support to the genocidaires all along. Based on new interviews with key players and eye-witnesses, and previously unreleased documents, Wallis's' book tells a story which many have suspected, but never seen set out before. France, Wallis discovers, was keen to defend its influence in Africa, even if it meant complicity in genocide, for as French President Francois Mitterrand once said: "in countries like that, genocide is not so important". Wallis's riveting expose of the French role in one of the darkest chapters of human history will provoke furious debate, denials, and outrage.
About the Author
Andrew Wallis is a freelance journalist and a researcher at the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford.
Table of Contents
Introduction * La Francafrique * France and Rwanda 1962-1990 * Invasion and Intervention * Civil War and Peace Talks 1991-1993 * Militia, Massacres and Arusha * Genocide, Operation Amaryllis and French Retreat * Arming the Genocide * Operation Turquoise * Bisesero * France, Rwanda and Justice * Conclusion * Abbreviations and Glossary * Bibliography
Introduction * La Francafrique * France and Rwanda 1962-1990 * Invasion and Intervention * Civil War and Peace Talks 1991-1993 * Militia, Massacres and Arusha * Genocide, Operation Amaryllis and French Retreat * Arming the Genocide * Operation Turquoise * Bisesero * France, Rwanda and Justice * Conclusion * Abbreviations and Glossary * Bibliography