La capitale du Rwanda et la seconde ville du pays sont désormais aux mains du FPR. Les populations civiles n'ont plus qu'une seule solution, c'est de fuir

Leclerc, Gilles

Pagniez, Marie-Odile

Ghesquière, Hervé

4 juillet 1994

19940704

19:00:00

CEST

Journal de 19 heures

La capitale du Rwanda et la seconde ville du pays sont désormais aux mains du FPR. Les populations civiles n'ont plus qu'une seule solution, c'est de fuir

L'opération Turquoise se révèle finalement plus complexe que prévu.

ScriptFrance3JournalDe19Heures04071994.pdf

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France 3

Transcription d'une émission de télévision

FR

- Turning to international news, the situation in Rwanda is critical: RPF rebels are continuing their advance across the country. Today, two cities have fallen: Kigali, the capital, and Butare. Civilians are left with only one option: to flee.
- Kigali and Butare have fallen. Rwanda's capital and its second-largest city are now in the hands of the RPF, the Rwandan Patriotic Front.
- Overnight, the last vehicles of the routed government army left the capital. Yet, even this morning, a few artillery rounds were fired. However, Hutu militia members have also fled the city.
- In the streets, hundreds of Tutsi refugees have come out to cheer the RPF forces. For them, it marks the end, the end of fear, massacres, and shelling.
- But for others, the exodus begins. Where can they go? The RPF advance is accelerating; following the fall of Butare at midday, the rebels are closing in on Gikongoro, where French troops have retreated.
- France has ordered its military to remain in the town to establish a humanitarian zone in the country's southwest and to prevent anyone from threatening the refugee populations there.
- However, the RPF has no intention of allowing a sanctuary for its enemies to be created, and the rebels show no signs of halting their offensive.
- It is a delicate situation that is increasingly complicating the task for French soldiers. France, still acting alone on the ground, has decided to create a security zone in the west of the country.
- Orders have just been issued to the military to block, by force if necessary, any armed elements from entering this zone. This may well alter the very nature of Operation Turquoise.
- Green light for Operation Turquoise: France has secured United Nations approval. That was ten days ago, on June 23rd. The mission was officially straightforward: 2,000 to 2,500 French troops, mostly based in Goma, Zaire, with planned forays into Rwanda for purely humanitarian purposes, avoiding any deep military engagement.
- Paris also clarifies that there is no intention of positioning troops between the opposing forces and that every effort will be made to avoid skirmishes with local militias.
- When the first French troops arrive in the Rwandan territory held by government forces, the reaction comes as a surprise: the predominantly Hutu population cheers the soldiers.
- Then, the soldiers discover the horror of mass graves. At that point, the implicated Hutu government militias react with hostility toward the French intervention.
- The Tutsi rebels of the RPF have consistently been hostile toward France. Yesterday [July 3], there was even a minor armed clash.
- However, faced with the influx of refugees and the advance of RPF rebels, the French now aim to establish a humanitarian safe zone in southern Rwanda. Admiral Lanxade, Chief of the Defence Staff, states: "We can ensure the security of this zone. From that point on, there is no reason for uncontrolled militias to continue their actions. So, how will we go about this? It is too early to say".
- Operation Turquoise is ultimately proving more complex than anticipated. The fear, of course, is becoming bogged down in an uncontrollable situation. The memory of Somalia is still fresh.

https://francegenocidetutsi.fr/fgtshow.php?num=36577