PRESS RELEASE
Commemoration, Justice, and Reconciliation: Toward a Comprehensive and Inclusive Approach. International Action Needed to End Impunity and Deliver Justice for All Victims.
As Rwanda enters the annual commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi, the United Democratic Forces (FDU–Inkingi) honor the victims and stand in solidarity with survivors.
However, remembrance without justice risks entrenching silence, fear, and unresolved trauma. More than 30 years after the 1994 genocide, critical aspects of the truth remain unaddressed.
The attack on the presidential aircraft—widely recognized as the trigger of the mass atrocities —has yet to receive credible and definitive judicial clarification. This persistent gap continues to obstruct a shared and honest historical narrative.
At the same time, patterns of impunity endure. Political assassinations, enforced disappearances, and repression of dissenting voices continue to be reported, undermining both the rule of law and prospects for genuine national reconciliation.
The FDU–Inkingi further urge the international community not to ignore serious crimes committed beyond Rwanda’s borders. The United Nations Mapping Report (2010) documented large-scale atrocities against Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, some of which could amount to acts of genocide if established before a competent court. Selective justice is not justice. Silence is not reconciliation. In light of these realities, the FDU–Inkingi call for:
The establishment of independent, impartial, and international investigations into all serious crimes committed in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region;
The creation of an international or ad hoc tribunal with an expanded mandate, capable of prosecuting all perpetrators, regardless of political or military status;
Concrete international measures to end impunity, protect fundamental freedoms, and support democratic space in Rwanda.
True reconciliation requires the recognition of all victims—without hierarchy, without exclusion. It demands truth, accountability, and the courage to confront all dimensions of the past.
The people of Rwanda deserve more than remembrance. They deserve justice, dignity, and a future free from fear.
The FDU–Inkingi reaffirm their commitment to an inclusive national dialogue, bringing together all voices to build a peaceful, democratic, and united Rwanda. The time for accountability is now.
Done in Rouen, April 1, 2026
Joseph MUSHYANDI
Secretary General, FDU–Inkingi