The horrors of the Rwandan Genocide have been well-documented, but not so much is known about the aftermath. Prisca, Marie-Jeanne and Concessa are three survivors who sought safety in refugee camps, only to find themselves subjected to unspeakable acts of brutality. The trio tell a harrowing story of abduction, gang rape and exploitation at the hands of French soldiers supposed to be protecting them.
Prisca recalls how she felt betrayed by those she had expected to help: “We naively thought that the white man was a saviour, that he would bring peace”. Yet none of the women were offered any form of reprieve as they suffered unrelenting abuse at the hands of their oppressors. Even more shocking is that these aggressors weren’t done yet – soldiers took photos of their assaults as a way to further humiliate their victims.
Despite all this, justice remains elusive for Prisca, Marie-Jeanne and Concessa. Despite having filed a complaint with French courts in 2004 and 2012 respectively, no action has been taken against their perpetrators due to a lack of evidence. The French army denies all accusations of rape too – making it difficult for any legal action to be taken against them.
It’s essential that we understand more about this injustice in order to ensure similar atrocities never happen again – which is why we strongly recommend watching the documentary ‘Rwanda: A Secret History’, which tells the story of Prisca, Marie-Jeanne and Concessa’s trauma in vivid detail, while also exploring wider implications around such widespread violence against vulnerable communities. We hope you take the time out of your day to watch this incredibly powerful film – after all, it could make all the difference in helping us learn from our mistakes and prevent further suffering like this from ever occurring again.
