French human rights organisations have called for the prosecution of French troops for complicity in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, over reports that they abandoned hundreds of Tutsis who were subsequently slaughtered by Hutu militias.
The International Federation of Human Rights and other organisations state that a fax from June 27-30 1994 which was recently declassified, proved that French troops knew of a group of Tutsis sheltering in a nearby wooden area in Rwanda's Bisesero hills , requesting French protection.
"Certain elements of the French special forces with a clear mandate to halt the massacres were stationed about 5 km as the crow flies from the crime scene with all the information, communications and equipment needed to mount a life-saving operation instantly," said the group. "That did not happen".
An inquiry launched by survivors in 2005, which is still on going names officers allegedly involved - Jacques Rosier, commander of special forces, and Marin Gillier, head of a squad of marines and Jean-Claude Lafourcade who led the UN-mandated Operation Turquoise force.
The three denied any wrong doing in a statement, adding that they had "protected hundreds of thousands of people" and saved "tens of thousands of Tutsi lives."
"We have always said we were willing to testify... to put paid to accusations that are as unrealistic as monstrous", they added.
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