President Macron ask Rwanda to forgive France over 1994 genocide role

French President Emmanuel Macron don ask Rwandans to forgive France for di role dem play for di 1994 Rwandan genocide wey cause di death of about 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

During di genocide memorial for Rwanda capital Kigali, oga Macron tok say France no obey di warnings say plenty killings dey come and for too long e "value silence over examination of di truth".

But France no get hand for di killings, oga Macron add. Di Rwanda leader hail am for im speech.

President Paul Kagame say, "Im words na something wey get more value pass sorry. E tok truth." E call am "an act of tremendous courage".

For March, one French expert commission discover say France under di late President François Mitterrand bin carry "heavy and big responsibility" for di genocide but e no get hand for di violence.

Di report say France bin dey "blind" to genocide preparations."

Only those wey go through that night go fit forgive, and in doing so give di gift of forgiveness," Oga Macron tok for di memorial, where more dan 250,000 victims dey buried. "I tanda by una side today wit humility and wit respect, I don sabi di extent of our responsibilities.

"One Hutu elite na im rule Rwanda wen di genocide happun for April-June 1994, but di Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) under Paul Kagame later remove dem.

Mitterrand bin get close ties to former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, one Hutu. "Di killers wey tail di swamps, di hills, di churches, no get di face of France. France no get hand for di incident," Mr Macron tok.

But for 1994, "wetin France no understand na say by wanting to block a regional conflict or a civil war, e stand a de facto by a genocidal regime". e add.

Wetin cause di genocide?

Between April and June 1994, about 800,000 Rwandans na im dem kill within 100 days. Most of di pipo wey die na Tutsis - and most of those wey perpetrate di violence be Hutus.

Di genocide happun sake of di death of di Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, wey be Hutu, wen dem shot down im plane above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994.

Im Burundian counterpart Cyprien Ntaryamira, another Hutu dey di plane.

On 22 June, di UN authorise di deployment of French forces go di south-west Rwanda, inside wetin dem call di Operation Turquoise.

Dat mission dey controversial: di French humanitarian zone save some potential victims from di genocidal killers, but later accusations comot say di help wey French render come too late and say some killers bin manage to hide for di zone.

For 2015, President François Hollande dat time announce say dem go publish di Rwanda archives, but two years later, afta one researcher collect permission to study dem, France Constitutional Council rule say dem must remain secret.

France presido don launch new inquiry into di violence and dey allow experts to study French official files from di time.