The Missteps of FIDH and Survie on Human Rights in Côte d'Ivoire, Rwanda, and the DRC

Recent developments in Paris have brought attention to Charles Onana, a historian and expert on the African Great Lakes region, who faces legal action from France-based NGOs, including the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and Survie. They accuse him of genocide denial regarding his analyses of the Rwandan conflict from 1990 to 1994. Survie has also critiqued Onana's book on the Congolese genocide, titled Holocaust in the Congo, the International Community's Omertà, through a controversial two-part article by its president, Odile Tobner.

Tobner's reconstruction of Congolese history overlooks critical geopolitical factors and dismisses the extensive archival research conducted by both Congolese and international scholars.

This article cannot tell the tragic story of the Hutu refugees in Zaire, despite the abundant evidence of their plight. Instead, it perpetuates the misleading narrative of the FDLR as a serious threat to Rwanda, while hiding the difficulties of international involvement in the DRC.

What is particularly troubling is that Tobner neglects to mention the ongoing genocide in the DRC, which has claimed over 12 million civilian lives and displaced millions more in the past 28 years. Both Survie and FIDH have played roles in downplaying the crimes committed by the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and have misled the French public regarding the alleged complicity of the French army in the Rwandan genocide.

Survie must address the allegations against its member Jean Carbonare, who was criticized for his pro-Kagame stance, a charge revealed by investigative journalist Pierre Péan in his book Carnages. Carbonare participated in the International Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Violations in Rwanda in 1993, which was later discredited due to a lack of professionalism and bias.

The 1993 report, which immediately denounced Habyarimana's government, was rejected by a Canadian court and criticized for failing to interrogate the accused. FIDH's Eric Gillet recently said he approached the report as an activist rather than a historian, which he admits resulted in a lack of rigor.

Alex De Waal, who co-founded African Rights, has reflected on the inadequacies of the evidence available during their reports on Rwanda. He admitted that their narratives often prioritized attention over accuracy, ultimately supporting the RPF’s rise to power and subsequent actions in the DRC, which included the targeting of Hutu refugees and resource exploitation.

Judie Rever criticizes De Waal's attempts to shield himself from accountability and notes the troubling relationship between African Rights and the RPF. In her assessment, the organization has acted as a front for the RPF, shaping narratives to portray it favorably. https://www.africageopolitics.com/post/the-international-federation-of-human-rights-fidh-survie-getting-it-wrong-on-c%C3%B4te-d-ivoire