Frodouard Rukeshangabo is one of Rwandans living in Australia, before 1994, he was the inspector of academic in former Kigarama District ‘commune’, Rubona sector which is now Kibungo sector in Ngoma District where he brutally killed Tutsi in 1994 genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi.
The later fled in Malawi and in Australia, spreading his activities of denying the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. All these crimes there in Australia are led by his son Amiel Nubaha
In his article “Has Australia become a hot bed for genocide deniers and Hutu Power faithful?” (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/has-australia-become-new-hotbed-genocide-deniers-hutu-power-faithful) he talked of this man, Rukeshangabo had been initially sentenced to 30 years in jail by the local jurisdictions Gacaca Courts as a ringleader in the mass-killings which rocked Rwanda in 1994 and in which over one million Tutsi were massacred.
To know the clarity and give accurate information on this brutal killer, The Express News’ journalist made a 90 kilometers’ journey from Kigali to former Kigarama commune and came up with various testimonies
Among the testimonies we collected on the field where Rukeshangabo was living before 1994 include Genocide survivors whose relatives were killed by him, and perpetrators he was leading in the cruel killings.
Marie Claire Batariza is Genocide Survivor lives in Rubona Village, Gatonde Cell in Kibungo Sector. The mother of five was 21 year old in Genocide . In former cellule Giteme, Rubona SECTOR(Photo The Express News )
According to Marie Claire Batariza: “before the genocide, Mr. Rukeshangabo a well-respected man. He had the power of life and death. He worked closely with the then local mayor Mugiraneza in the extermination of the Tutsi in our region.
Ms. Batariza said that Mr. Rukeshangabo was a ringleader and a very influential man who worked closely with the local mayor called Mr. Mugiraneza.
At the beginning of the killings, he was elected leader of the Hutu militias during meetings whose objectives were the extermination of Tutsi in the area. His wife was a teacher.
“But Mr. Rukeshangabo was uniquely wicked. He always requested killers to cut off the toes of the victims and to bring them to him as evidence that the person was dead,” she revealed to The Express News Repoter
Marie Claire Batariza and Virginie Nyiraneza, two genocide survivors and neighbours still recall how they narrowly escaped from Mr. Rukeshangabo and his marauding armed Hutu militias in early April 1994.
“When the armed Interahamwe militias led by Rukeshangabo came to kill us, I and my brother Rusanganwa hid in the Inspector’s cassava plantation, “Batariza said. “Unfortunately, they caught him and hacked him to death. They also cut parts of his feet,” she further indicated.
In other instances, Rukeshangabo’s men also killed one of my neighbours, cut his toe, and put on the tip of the spear. They took it to Rukeshangabo ‘s Office where he had gone to prove that the man was dead. Later that day, killed another man called Nkurunziza and went on to party that evening, in celebration of the massacres of the Tutsi during the day.
Over 500 Tutsi men, women, and children were killed in Kigarama in April 1994, and Rukeshangabo played a big role in these horrendous killings.
Virginie Nyiraneza is the genocide survivor from Kigarama (Photo The Express News )
He led a group of a dozen hardcore Hutu extremists who spearheaded the massacres including Nkurikiyinka, Vunabandi, Hakizamungu, Niyonsaba, Nzabamwita, Ntaganda, Rupyasa, Yangurundi, and Kubwayezu. While other perpetrators have been tried in Rwanda, served their sentences, and asked for forgiveness from survivors, Rukeshangabo has evaded justice and is on the run in Australia.
Some of the perpetrators from the Kigarama who also agreed to speak to The Express News Reporter have attested to the cruelty of Rukeshangabo. Virginie Nyiraneza said
Pierre Damien Hakuzamungu, is a genocide perpetrator from this area, he was a soldier before 1994. He finished his sentence over his role in genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in Kigarama. He explained how the genocide started in this area where Interahamwe were led by Rukeshangabo. (Photo The Express News )
Pierre Damien Hakizamungu, a genocide perpetrator and former soldier bemoaned how Tutsi and Hutu lived together in harmony. “But when genocide broke out, we killed them and looted their property. Rukeshangabo and his militias started the killings in the area. He said that he worked in tandem with another man called Faustin Nkurikiyinka,” he alleged.
Playing the Victimhood Card
Since the publication of an article exposing how Australia has become a fertile ground of genocide deniers, Hutu Power disciples, and most worryingly, a destination of choice of Rwandan genocidaires like Frodouard Rukeshangabo.
Paradoxically, the people who felt unfairly maligned came out fighting. That aggrieved section of Rwandans who are very vociferous belongs to the Rwandan Association of Queensland. Instead of outrightly condemning genocide crimes committed by people like this man, they rather play a victimhood card.
No child should be held accountable for crimes committed by one’s father. But it is very disturbing to see some of these members not condemning the genocide crimes perpetrated by their parents, but rather play a victimhood card.
One such person is Amiel Nubaha, formerly leader of the Rwandan Queensland Association who complained that he was labeled by what he called “Rwandan Racial Extremist in the Diaspora Community” as genocide denier and revisionist.
Nubaha is a former president of Rwandan Association of Queensland son of Rukeshangabo
However, in the process he shows his true colours of a genocide denier and revisionist by writing:
“I do not deny the genocide against the Tutsi. It happened, it is well documented and it will always be a painful legacy of our Rwandan history,” he wrote, but added: “I do not deny that heinous crimes were committed against the Hutus which potentially constitute genocidal crimes.”
Read More related article
Rwandan Diaspora in Australia stands up against genocide deniers through an open letter
Why members of Rwandan Association of Queensland Peddle Genocide Denialism
Rwandan Diaspora in Australia dissents to Use Australian Parliament Hall by Genocide disclaimer
So, on the other hand, one, Nubaha accepts that there was a genocide against the Tutsi, but on the other hand, he talks of genocide against the Hutus. This is exactly a “double genocide” talk. By the way, during the many so-called commemoration ceremonies that this association organises every year in Queensland, it always calls it the “Rwandan genocide” and has not used “genocide against the Tutsi” a single time. Is this a coincidence?
Frodouard Rukeshangabo Family in Australia (courtes)
The person who claims being racial abused is the very son of Frodouard Rukeshangabo, the butcher of Kigarama, and who required parts of the victims as proof that they were dead.
Will he one day come out and condemn the horrible genocide crimes committed by his father? Only God knows.
Video Testimonies reveal the cruel killing of Tutsi by Frodouard Rukeshangabo
The Express News
