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Critics of the Kagame faction accused the French president of turning a blind eye to the repression before his historic visit to Kigale.
Two of Rwanda’s best-known opposition leaders on Tuesday accused French President Emmanuel Macron of ignoring political repression and human rights violations in his country before his historic Kigali trip.
Macron will arrive in Rwanda on Thursday and will meet with his opponent Paul Kagame.Paul Kagame is a former rebel leader who has ruled East Africa since its end 1994 Genocide.
This will be the first visit of a French leader since 2010, and it will mark a step towards the thawing of diplomacy between the two countries. For a long time, the role of France in the killing of approximately 800,000 Rwandans has been divided.
However, government critics Victoire Ingabire and Bernard Ntaganda described his visit as an “insult”, who spent time in exile and prison. Its political party was banned in Rwanda.
“French President Emmanuel Macron did not hesitate to publicly condemn the dictatorship, but remained silent on the authoritarian rule and human rights violations of the Rwandan regime,” 52-year-old Ingabir and Ntaganda shared Said in a statement.
“So for President Emmanuel Macron, there are good dictators and bad dictators.”
The head of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in Rwanda, Kagame, was accused by critics of suppressing opponents and ruled out of fear.
Ingabire returned from exile in 2010 to confront Kagame, but was arrested for terrorism and imprisoned for 8 years, which was extended to 15 years thereafter. She was pardoned and released by the president in 2018.
Ntaganda-who also tried to challenge Kagame in 2010-was sentenced to four years in prison for inciting racial division.
Human Rights Watch said the charges against the two were politically motivated.
Ingabir and Ntaganda said: “It is clear that today President Emmanuel Macron no longer discusses topics that anger the Rwandan Patriotic Front, which is ruled with an iron hand.”
Macron said that his visit will “establish a new relationship with Rwanda” and will be in Rwanda. Landmark report The conclusion reached was that France “turned a blind eye” to preparations for genocide and was overwhelmingly responsible for the killing.
Kagame, who has accused France of participating in the genocide in the past, has stated that he accepted the findings of the report and that both countries have “good foundations” for restoring ties.
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