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Last update :
September 8, 2026
September 8, 2026
À Gisenyi, la bataille a été visiblement beaucoup plus âpre que dans bien d'autres villes
Card Number 36552
Number
36552
Author
Morin, Gérard
Author
Monier, Éric
Date
20 juillet 1994
Ymd
19940720
Time
13:00:01
Time zone
CEST
Uptitle
Journal de 13 heures [1/2]
Title
À Gisenyi, la bataille a été visiblement beaucoup plus âpre que dans bien d'autres villes
Size
16787 bytes
Pages nb.
2
Source
Public records
Type
Transcription d'une émission de télévision
Language
FR
Abstract
- Fears of a humanitarian disaster at the Zaire border are mounting. Much of the Rwandan population has fled the country. This morning, the France 2 reporting team managed to enter the town of Gisenyi, which had been captured by the RPF. It is something of a ghost town.
- Patrols are the only thing to be seen in Gisenyi, the country's third-largest town and the last to fall to the RPF just before the ceasefire 48 hours ago [July 18].
- Gisenyi has now become a massive garrison; there are virtually no civilians left, as everyone has fled to neighboring Zaire, less than two kilometers away.
- Just the day before [July 19], a few skirmishes had left the RPF soldiers very on edge and reluctant to show visitors around. The battle here was clearly much fiercer than in many other towns, with much more dogged resistance.
- "There was definitely real fighting here", explains our only contact, Commander Bruce, one of the local officers. "Probably because government troops were protecting their families as they crossed into Zaire with all their belongings".
- Gisenyi was also a stronghold for extremist militias and the hometown of President Habyarimana.
- From the border crossing, you can see Goma. You can hear it, too, the roar of the tens of thousands of Rwandans who have taken refuge there.
- The humanitarian planes supplying the town are completely ignored by the RPF soldiers. For them, the focus is elsewhere: the formation of their government in Kigali and the arrival of a French delegation to discuss the return of refugees.
- Gisenyi was the RPF's final military objective, excluding, of course, the humanitarian zone held by the French. But the RPF has been repeating it constantly for the past two days: there is no question of attempting anything in this zone.
- Patrols are the only thing to be seen in Gisenyi, the country's third-largest town and the last to fall to the RPF just before the ceasefire 48 hours ago [July 18].
- Gisenyi has now become a massive garrison; there are virtually no civilians left, as everyone has fled to neighboring Zaire, less than two kilometers away.
- Just the day before [July 19], a few skirmishes had left the RPF soldiers very on edge and reluctant to show visitors around. The battle here was clearly much fiercer than in many other towns, with much more dogged resistance.
- "There was definitely real fighting here", explains our only contact, Commander Bruce, one of the local officers. "Probably because government troops were protecting their families as they crossed into Zaire with all their belongings".
- Gisenyi was also a stronghold for extremist militias and the hometown of President Habyarimana.
- From the border crossing, you can see Goma. You can hear it, too, the roar of the tens of thousands of Rwandans who have taken refuge there.
- The humanitarian planes supplying the town are completely ignored by the RPF soldiers. For them, the focus is elsewhere: the formation of their government in Kigali and the arrival of a French delegation to discuss the return of refugees.
- Gisenyi was the RPF's final military objective, excluding, of course, the humanitarian zone held by the French. But the RPF has been repeating it constantly for the past two days: there is no question of attempting anything in this zone.