Un ex-major des FAR : « J'ai l'impression qu'on a été abandonné par les Français. Toutes les armes que nous avions, c'était de fabrication française et c'est par les Français qu'on pouvait avoir des munitions »

Bromberger, Dominique

Rybinski, Gauthier

Joachim, Manuel

26 juillet 1994

19940726

20:00:00

CEST

Journal de 20 heures [7:52]

Un ex-major des FAR : « J'ai l'impression qu'on a été abandonné par les Français. Toutes les armes que nous avions, c'était de fabrication française et c'est par les Français qu'on pouvait avoir des munitions »

Les anciennes Forces armées rwandaises n'ont pas été totalement désarmées en quittant le Rwanda.

1994-07-26-20tf1.mp4

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TF1

INA

Journal télévisé

FR

- Some glimmers of hope in Rwanda: for the first time, the High Commissioner for Refugees reports a slight improvement in the situation in Goma. Two huge water purification systems were brought in by the Americans. Relief coordination is organized. 35 flights were made today and tankers are starting to arrive.
- One problem, however, will not be resolved through humanitarian means: it is that of the cumbersome presence of the armed forces of the former Rwandan regime.
- Army lost, army disoriented, the former Rwandan Armed Forces have seen the misfortune in which they participated turn against them. In a camp near Goma, their staff regrouped and tried, through a paperwork activity worthy of the times of the colonies, to make good heart against bad luck. They were not totally disarmed when they left Rwanda, but it is not an army of fanatics.
- If they keep today the uniform which distinguishes them from other refugees, it is in the hope of touching a hypothetical salary promised to them by the equally hypothetical Rwandan government in exile. Despite everything, they have their pride. They have not completely given up on the idea of ​​resuming the fight. Lieutenant-Colonel Marcel Bivugabagabo: "If it is necessary to return to Rwanda by force, we will do it. It would be a shame but we will not hesitate". Major Debihora [?]: "I have the impression that we have been abandoned by the French. It is my feeling. And it is the feeling of several of our soldiers. All the weapons that we had, it is was made in France and it was through the French that we could get ammunition".
- Interview of General Jean-Claude Lafourcade by Dominique Bromberger: Dominique Bromberger: - "Incidents pitted French soldiers against Hutu militiamen yesterday [July 25] and the day before yesterday [July 24] and the French used their weapons during these incidents. What is it exactly?". Jean-Claude Lafourcade: - "In the mandate given to us by the UN, we have the mission of ensuring security in the Safe Humanitarian Zone. And it is within the framework of this mission that we prohibit any armed element, whoever it is, who are often young deserters or militiamen who try to commit some atrocities or some looting on the populations. We try to forbid them these actions and we neutralize them. It is entirely within the framework of our mandate. […] Currently the Safe Humanitarian Zone that we control is completely safe since at present many humanitarian convoys from Bujumbura are returning to the zone to serve their humanitarian aid on the deprived populations who are approximately one and a half million in my zone". Dominique Bromberger: - "Have you had any similar incidents with the Rwandan Armed Forces, with the former regular army?". Jean-Claude Lafourcade: - "No, with the Rwandan Armed Forces, we applied within the humanitarian zone the regulations provided for in this zone, that is to say that no armed element circulated in the area. We disarmed the people who were there. Regarding the FAR soldiers who took refuge in Zaire, I would say that they are ultimately, at present, refugees a bit like the others. They have reunited with their families and did not are not in a state to fight. Especially since the Zairians have collected all the weapons. And I can say that there are currently no weapons with the soldiers of the Rwandan Armed Forces taking refuge in Zaire". Dominique Bromberger: - "You launched a very moving appeal for help yesterday [July 25] for the collection of the dead. Are the French the only ones to carry out this task?". Jean-Claude Lafourcade: - "Indeed, I launched this appeal because the task is immense! With the Caritas association, we are the only ones practically to take care of this problem. Of course, we must treat people in the camps. Of course, we must bring them food. But if we leave these corpses scattered all around Goma, we risk huge epidemics which will destroy the work of all humanitarian organizations on the ground! And I take this opportunity to pay a strong tribute to all my soldiers who do a thankless and difficult task to pick up all these dead, often in atrocious conditions, thanks to their dedication and their courage that I qualify as exemplary. And we can be proud of them". Dominique Bromberger: - "Is the coordination with the others, in particular with the Americans, getting better organized now?". Jean-Claude Lafourcade: - "We can only congratulate ourselves on seeing the Americans dedicate all their logistical power to the service of the humanitarian problems of this region. I must say that things are going in the best way insofar as the Americans have understood that the Goma platform had limited possibilities and that it is not from Goma that we will be able to send all the formidable logistical effort necessary for this humanitarian operation. Another platform will be chosen, which will allow us to bring in many American planes for the benefit of this humanitarian action". Dominique Bromberger: - "Could your mission then be to help the refugees return to their country?". Jean-Claude Lafourcade: - "We have already started to do it. In the Safe Humanitarian Zone, we have returned 60,000 displaced people to eastern Rwanda. And I think that's the solution if we want to solve the humanitarian problem in this part of the world. All these displaced people, all these refugees must return to their fields, to their homes where they find their security and conditions to resume a normal existence. It is not by feeding them outside, by feeding them in camps that we will solve this problem. And I am convinced that we can achieve it".