RWANDA:Dr. Thoegene Rudasingwa Responds to French Report on Rwanda: We Shall Win!

Adapted from the Salem News Submitted by: Jennifer Fierberg, MSW Salem-News.com

Responding to the French Judge Marc Trevidic's technical report.

Dr. Thoegene Rudasingwa

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - On the 1st October 2011, I published a confession in which I stated that Paul Kagame, then overall commander of the Rwandese Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the Rwandese Patriotic Front, was personally responsible for the shooting down of the plane on April 6, 1994, in which President Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda.

Cyprien Ntaryamira

Others killed in the crash:

President Cyprian Ntaryamira of Burundi
Deogratias Nsabimana
Elie Sagatwa
Thaddee Bagaragaza
Emmanuel Akingeneye
Bernard Ciza
Cyriaque Simbizi
Jacky Heraud
Jean-Pierre Minaberry
Jean-Michel

I stated that Paul Kagame himself had told me, in July 1994, that he was responsible for the shooting down of the plane. I stated that Paul Kagame has to be brought to account for his role in this terrorist crime that provided a trigger for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Rwanda Pres. Paul Kagame

I have also stated that myself and other witnesses are willing, able, and ready to provide further evidence to national or/and international jurisdictions interested in contributing to truth, justice, reconciliation and healing in Rwanda.

Neither myself nor other new, willing, and able witnesses have yet been able to meet Judge Marc Trevidic, or any other international tribunal/court. to give the true account of the events surrounding the shooting down of the plane.

Today, 10th January, 2012, the French Judge, Marc Trevidic, investigating the 1994 terrorist crime, made public the findings of the Technical Report by ballistic experts. Among other things, the technical report stated that:

Rwanda Pres. Juvenal Habyarimana

a) the experts were leaning more towards the version of the events that the missile that shot down the plane originated from several areas, especially around the Kanombe area in Kigali;

b) the missiles were made and supplied from the former Soviet Union and,

c) lawyers and other interested parties have up to three months to contest any matters arising from the report.

In this regard, I would like to state the following:

1. That the missile was fired from a number of areas in the Kanombe area does not exonerate Paul Kagame from having committed the crime;

2. That the missiles were of Soviet Union origin will prove to be of substantive help in establishing who the real culprit is, and;

3. That there is time for us ( myself and other interested and new witnesses) to respond fully to the technical report and provide credible testimony to Judge Marc Trevidic, or any other in the international jurisdiction, to pin down Paul Kagame as the culprit in this terrorist crime.

The wreckage of President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane.

I stand fully behind the letter and spirit of my October 1st, 2011 confession. Judge Marc Trevidic’s technical report has not proved me wrong. Nor has it exonerated Paul Kagame from this crime, and yet Kigali is spinning the story out of context to celebrate what it calls “victory”. In the coming months and years, myself, other witnesses, Rwandans and others in the international community who heed the call, will continue to endeavor to have Paul Kagame account for his role in this and other crimes.

I would like to remind all Rwandans and the international community that this is not Judge Marc Trevidic’s final judgment on the matter. Furthermore, matters of truth and justice for Rwandans will primarily be decided by us Rwandans. Even when the international community and foreigners in general have had the reputation of disappointing Rwandans, we must have faith in our struggle for truth, justice, healing, and reconciliation.

Let us mobilize and organize, for truth and justice shall ultimately prevail.

We shall win.

Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa

Editor's note: The final report has not been made public. Upon its publication the link will be provided in the comments of this article.

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Submitted by: Jennifer Fierberg, MSW; a correspondent, Assistant Editor, and Volunteer Coordinator for NGO News Africa through the volunteer project of the UN. and Salem-News.com. Jennifer is also the media co-coordinator and senior funding executive for The Africa Global Village (www.africaglobalvillage.com)