A man Mitterrand considered a close friend, almost like a son, their friendship had lasted many years, as France had become deeply involved in Rwanda's internal politics shortly after the country gained independence.
In December 1962, France signed a cooperation agreement with Rwanda, covering both civilian and military sectors. By July 1975, the two countries entered into a special military agreement, and the following year France began supplying Rwanda with military equipment and trainers for its armed forces.
Six years later, in 1981, Mitterrand came to power and found the Franco-Rwandan relations in good standing. He chose to strengthen them even further. In 1983, the special military agreement was revised to include provisions allowing French troops to fight alongside Rwandan forces if needed.
However, throughout this partnership, France turned a blind eye to the Rwandan government's increasing oppression, mass killings of Tutsi, ethnic discrimination, and widespread displacement. The regime had normalized ethnic division in every sector of society.
These agreements were signed just a year after the Rwandan government expelled Tutsi refugees who had fled Uganda and sought safety back in their homeland, only to be chased out again.
A 1964 United Nations report highlighted that over 300,000 Rwandan refugees were living in exile in Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Zaire. They had fled systemic violence orchestrated by the state. But even in the face of such reports, France chose not to intervene.
This tight-knit relationship is what pushed Mitterrand into despair upon hearing of Habyarimana's death. Alongside his advisers, he quickly pointed fingers at the former Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), accusing them of shooting down the presidential plane.
This accusation came despite the fact that France had for years been supplying the Habyarimana government with heavy weaponry, including advanced surface-to-air rocket systems capable of downing aircraft.
These weapons had been delivered to Rwanda on the morning of October 10, 1990, as confirmed by one of Mitterrand's own advisers.
Mitterrand turned his back on Rwanda
After losing the man he viewed as a son, Mitterrand could not bring himself to accept Rwanda's new government, led by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi). He began sidelining Rwanda on the international stage at a time when the country was desperately in need of support.
In November 1994, Mitterrand organized his cherished France-Africa Summit, attended by 25 African heads of state. On the agenda were France-Africa relations, with Rwanda a key focus, especially as the country was emerging from the horror of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
But Rwanda was not invited. Mitterrand viewed the new RPF-led government as enemies of France, according to Dr. Charles Murigande, who served as a diplomatic adviser to Rwanda's president at the time.
He said, 'The fact that we weren't invited to that summit in Biarritz doesn't mean the other African countries viewed Rwanda as a pariah. […] But of course, the President of Rwanda couldn't just show up in France without an invitation.' He added that Mitterrand's shame was already evident on the global stage.
'Not being invited by France didn't surprise us. That's just who Mitterrand was. It reflected his mindset. He had stood with those who had destroyed Rwanda. Naturally, he felt ashamed. There's no way he would have had the courage to invite the President of Rwanda to Biarritz.'
Today, relations between France and Rwanda have significantly improved, especially after President Emmanuel Macron expressed a willingness to rebuild diplomatic ties and reconcile historical wounds between the two nations.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/how-habyarimana-s-death-left-mitterrand-haunted-by-rwanda
