Posted on 05/23/2007 6:59:37 PM PDT by Shermy
INQUIRY - A financial expert has told the Mucyo commission that the French government used French pensioners’ money to secretly finance the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. Martin Marschner, a private insurance broker told the seven-man panel of commissioners that the Paris establishment diverted social security funds into procurement of arms that were sent to Rwanda.
“I became aware of what was taking place on January 12, 1994, when I found out that at least one billion French francs (about Frw 108.75 billion) of my clients’ money had disappeared mysteriously,” he alleged.
The German-born was testifying to the commission on Monday at Telecom House in Kacyiru on Monday. The panel is charged with gathering and documenting evidence depicting the role of France in the Genocide which claimed the lives of an estimated one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
After thorough investigations into the matter, alleged Marschner, it emerged that the funds had been spent on the purchase of fire arms that were being exported to Kigali.
He also disclosed that the huge sum, which was deposited in Caisse Centrale De Reassurances, a body managing French insurance institutions, was channeled through its financing department known as Rochefort Finances.
As an independent insurance broker using the same institution, Marschner said he later realised that the money amounting to Frw 1bn, including deposits of his own clients had disappeared without a clear accountability between January and August of 1994.
“When I made investigations, I later established that the money was used to finance the flow of arms into Rwanda as well as facilitate the French secret services,” he said.
In other cases, he made it clear, that the expenditure accounts indicated procurement of arms sent to Rwanda during the Genocide but did not specify details of their origin and what the French arms were meant to serve amidst turmoil.
In his 750-page report which he presented to the commission, Marschner highlighted that the separate accounts used by the French government to finance the flow of arms into Rwanda during the Genocide clearly indicates a syndicated move involving illegal weapons payment and delivery.
“They (French) were also aware that the deal was illegal; that is why they had to use secret accounts managed exclusively in Paris,” he said, adding that the syndicate involved high-ranking French officials in the ministry of finance.
He further said that the then budget minister, Nicholas Sarkozy, who was recently sworn-in as new French president, was aware of all the activities. He said that the emptying of the insurance institution and particularly people’s accounts stirred controversy at the time but that the French government managed to re-reimburse them later in September 1994 using tax payers’ money. Marschner, who is lives in Monaco, south France, said that all these revelations hold the French entirely responsible for what happened in Rwanda in 1994.
“I did my research and I am sure the Commission has also been doing theirs, when put together, I am positive that the commission will come up with a conclusive evidence of the French role in the genocide,” he said. Marschner is the fourth European to testify before commission that is headed by Jean de Dieu Mucyo, a former post-Genocide Rwandan Cabinet minister and prosecutor general.
Last month British researcher and author Andrew Wallis told the commission that France facilitated the flow of arms which remained uninterrupted in the run-up to and throughout the Genocide period under the pretext that both countries were fulfilling numerous military treaties, cooperation agreements and security pacts signed previously.
This he said was in violation of an arms embargo that the UN had slapped on Rwanda shortly before the Genocide.
Other European witnesses included Lt. Col. (rtd.) Walter Balisch, a Belgian national, who was attached to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) and his colleague Francois Jamagne who was attached to the Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture during the Genocide.
Mucyo said that testimonies from foreigners will continue to be heard.
Well, no wonder the left want to model the US after France...they are fully on board in financing genocide. over 30 million Americans murdered by the abortion mills so far.
bttt
Thanks for the ping/update.
“Martin Marschner, a private insurance broker told the seven-man panel of commissioners that the Paris establishment diverted social security funds into procurement of arms that were sent to Rwanda.”
That must’ve bought quite a few machetes...considering that’s what most of the massacre victims were killed with.
Something stinks here and it ain't the new French president. This comes out 2 weeks after the election, 13 yrs. after the fact?
Prosecute Chirac for genocide.
No wonder he stepped down.
I wonder if we will EVER see the fallout for the misled and ill-conceived war in the balkans. Like how we were on the WRONG side?
Why its have to stink? Maybe they are as clever as Sarkozy was when he autorized as Budget Minister the funding for the rwanda genocide. Why the victims have to be fairplay? I think it’s the best moment to show who was responsable in 1994. And I think that Mr Sarkozy cannot denie his responsability. His right hand, Mr Pain was boarmember of CCR! And when you have to put 1 B from the budget to a SICAV, without legal basis, I think and hope that the Minister is informed!
On the other hand I think that Rwnda was not able and sufficient strong to make a trial to France before! Dont vergot, we are speaking about a genocide!
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