In Praise of the Blood of Canadian Judi Rever is a book investigating the crimes committed by the Rwandan Patriotic Army led by Paul Kagame, a rebellion that became the national army in Rwanda. Published since mid-September by Max Milo editions, organizations such as Ibuka, the survivors’ association or SOS racisme, described the work as negationist in a column published in the newspaper Liberation.
Passing through France to promote her work, the Canadian journalist like her French publisher insisted on the need to study the evidence presented.
For Jean-Charles Gérard, the publication director of Max Milo, Judi Rever’s book is of public interest. “ This book was supposed to be edited by a group publisher, and for political reasons it could not be. So it’s important that independent publishers like me can play this role. Judi’s work is investigative work and it is important that this voice that has been completely dismissed can emerge, ”he explains.
Be judged on the basis of advanced evidence
In the French version, dozens of pages from the “special investigations” of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda have been added as annexes, Judi Rever insists on being judged on the basis of the evidence put forward. “ There are researchers who are very sectarian, who accuse me of being a negationist because I dare to denounce the crimes of the RPF [Rwandan Patriotic Front]. They do not want to examine the evidence and the testimonies that are in my book, ”defends the journalist.
Philippe Basabose is a genocide survivor and a professor at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is among the first to have signed an open letter against the release of Judi Rever’s book. He says he is shocked by some of the ideas developed. ” I don’t have the text in front of me, but the quote in French is this :” Today, more and more elements tend to show that Tutsi civilians have also betrayed and killed their neighbors. The dynamic implemented was also appallingly similar “”, he explains . Philippe Basabose ensures that he is not embarrassed by the evocation of the crimes of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), but by the fact of comparing them to a local genocide.
One of Judi Rever’s theses is that the RPF relied on infiltrated Tutsi civilians to commit massacres of Hutu civilians during the genocide.
Source: RFI