In our recent training course on conflict transformation and violence prevention, we used Rwanda Genocide as a case study of a conflict that led to Genocide in the eyes of the international community for political gains. Participants, couldn't either understand how it could happen without any intervetions from developed world.

From the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda: “shooting down President Habyarimana's plane is the legal and proximate cause of the 1994 Genocide. This was further investigated by the French and Spanish court that indicted and issued arrest warrants for Kagame and the top RPF commanders for crimes of shooting down the plane.”

Further, in October 2014 the BBC documentary: Rwanda’s untold story features Kagame former rebel commanders testifying that Kagame ordered to shoot the plane. However, ICTR former prosecutor who carried out investigations on the crimes committed under the ICTR jurisdiction was ordered by the US to desist prosecuting Kagame.

Moreover, the ICTR could not find any evidence proving that any of the top Hutu leaders planned genocide. In fact, the famous Military I and Military II Cases which prosecuted top military and national security officials of the then government found no proof of planning the genocide and the accused were acquitted on this genocide account.

Thus, to cover it up, Kagame regime considers examination of the Hutu vs. Tutsi conflict and violence or any critical reflection on RPF role in crimes committed in different places and times “genocide denial”.