Citation
We the undersigned scholars, scientists, researchers, journalists, historians and charitable organisations are writing to you today to express our grave concern at the platform your university is giving to a known denier of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and that no opportunity is being provided to challenge such views.
Judi Rever, who is scheduled to speak at the University of Cambridge Centre for Geopolitics on 21 April 2021, is a journalist and author of the book In Praise of Blood that promotes the ‘double genocide’ myth, an idea introduced and spread by the genocide perpetrators and their supporters during the horrific events of 1994 and in the 27 years since.
This double genocide myth has been shown by countless reports, scholars, journalists, court proceedings and visual evidence to have absolutely no basis in fact. It forms part of a mounting campaign to minimise and distort the historical truth. While claiming to be serious journalistic investigative work, Rever relies on unsubstantiated and anonymous witness testimonies and quotes from unauthenticated documents apparently obtained from a ‘secret unit’ at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Her work is in no way peer reviewed and she provides not the slightest evidence for her sensationalist accusations whilst ignoring a wealth of testimony and accessible material – the concrete evidence built up over the past 27 years by scholars and journalists, NGOs and witnesses that has been tested in courtrooms and in solid academic debate and publications.
We are shocked that the University of Cambridge has chosen to give a platform to the author of a book that peddles arguments used in a 27-year campaign of genocide denial and revision.
The University of Cambridge Centre for Geopolitics – with no African, let alone Rwandan member on its 50 strong staff, Management Committee and International Advisory Board – has shown a reckless disregard for upholding factual historical accuracy and debate. African issues and lives are being treated with a flagrant disregard by the University of Cambridge that promotes itself as a global leader in truth and honesty.
The upset your decision causes the survivors of the genocide of the Tutsi, some of whom are studying at the University, is incalculable. In the circumstances of the Holocaust this would be unthinkable.
By promoting the conspiracy theories of Judi Rever, you have given the impression of support for negationism and denial.
We kindly ask you urgently now to reconsider your decision to give a platform to Rever and her views.
Signed:
Guillaume Ancel, Lieutenant-Colonel (R), Operation Turquoise veteran. Writer of “Rwanda, la fin du silence”. Direct witness of the genocide against the Tutsi
Dr. Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau, Historian, Director of Studies, EHESS, Paris
Medhi Ba, Journalist and author
Gatsinzi Basaninyenzi, Associate Professor of English, Alabama A-M University
Prof. Annette Becker, Professor of History, Paris-Nanterre. Author of Messengers of Disaster: Raphael Lemkin, Jan Karski, and Twentieth-Century Genocides (Wisconsin University Press, 2021)
Dr. Richard M. Benda, Luther King House, Durham University
Dr. Romain Bertrand, Director of Studies, CERI (Sciences Po-CNRS)
Jacqueline Blam Mukandanga, Ibuka Germany Chairperson
Juliette Bour, Ph.D. candidate in History (EHESS, CESPRA, Paris)
Dr. Carole Bourne-Taylor, Fellow in French, Brasenose College, Oxford
Prof. Raphaëlle Branche, Professor of Contemporary History, Institut des Sciences Sociales du Politique, Université de Paris Nanterre
Timothée Brunet-Lefèvre, Ph.D. candidate at CESPRA (EHESS, Paris)
Jabo Butera, Chairperson of the national association or Rwandese communities in the UK
Cloé Carbonare, Art Teacher
Prof. Marguerite Carbonare, Professor of letters, retired
Dr. Ayse Sila Cehreli, Associate Professor, Faculty of Political Sciences, Marmara University
Prof. Jean-Pierre Chrétien, Emeritus Director of Research, CNRS
Dr. Piotr Cieplak, Senior lecturer, University of Sussex
Prof. Phil Clark, Professor of International Politics, SOAS University of London
Bruce Clarke, Visual artist. Author of The Garden of Memory and the Upright Men contemporary arts memorial works. Member of the advisory board of CPCR (Collectif des Parties civiles pour le Rwanda)
Marie-France Collard, Filmmaker, co-author of « Rwanda 94 » theatre play
Prof. Denis Crouzet, Professor in modern history, Faculté des Lettres Sorbonne Université
Parand Danesh, Ph.D. candidate in Political Science, School for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS, Paris)
Patrick de Saint-Exupéry, Author and journalist
Jacques Delcuvellerie, Artistic director of collectif Groupov, co-author of « Rwanda 94 » theatre play
Bernadette Denis, Former Nursing Director at Washington Hospital Center
Senator Alain Destexhe, Former Secretary-General Médecins Sans Frontières
Dr. Hélène Dumas, Historian, CNRS, EHESS
Jean-François Dupaquier, Author, journalist, expert witness at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in the Media Case
Dr. Aleksander Edelman, Director od studies, CNRS
Théo Englebert, Journalist
Prof. François-Xavier Fauvelle, Professor of African History, Collège de France, Paris
Prof. Victoria Fontan, Vice President of Academic Affairs, American University of Afghanistan
Dr.Karen B. Froming, ABPP, University of California
Nadia Gallinier, Lawyer
Dr. Ignace Gatare, Principal, College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda
Prof. Tharcisse Gatwa, Author and research professor of ethnics
Alain Gauthier, President of the CPCR (Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda), France
The Foundation for Genocide Education, Montreal, Canada. https://gened.org
Dr. Catherine Gilbert, Academic Track Fellow, Newcastle University. Author of From Surviving to Living: Voice, Trauma and Witness in Rwandan Women’s Writing (2018)
Richard Gisagara, Court lawyer (France – Rwanda)
Ramadan Gjanaj, Political scientist and Chairman of the National Albanian European Council
Dr. Cécile Gonçalves, Lecturer, Institut catholique de Paris
Bruno Gouteux, Journalist and publisher, Izuba édition and La Nuit Rwandaise
François Graner, Researcher, member of “Survie”, author
Prof. Jan T. Gross, Professor of History Emeritus, Princeton University
Prof. Fred Grünfeld, Emeritus Professor in International Relations, Human Rights and the Causes of Gross Human Rights Violations, Universities of Maastricht and Utrecht, Netherlands. Author of The Failure to Prevent Genocide in Rwanda: The Role of Bystanders (2007)
Dr. Deogratias Harorimana, Senior Fellow, USP, Executive Chairman – AIPF Group
Jason Havuga Nshimye, Ibuka USA Chairperson
Dr. Emmanuel Havugimana, Senator, Rwanda
Dr. Helen Hintjens, Assistant Professor in Development and Social Justice, International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) The Hague. Relevant publication with Jos van Oijen (2020) “Elementary forms of Collective Denial: The 1994 Rwanda Genocide” Genocide Studies International, 13(2): 146-167.
Prof. Nicki Hitchcott, Professor, University of St Andrews
Dr. Jim House, Associate professor, University of Leeds
Grégoire Jakhian, Lawyer
Mr.Pierre Jamagne, Former development worker in Rwanda (1991-1994)
Elżbieta Janicka, Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences (ISS PAS), Warsaw (Poland)
Richard Garon Johnson, U.S. Foreign Service Officer, retired
Amdani Juma, Director, African Institute for Social Development(AISD)
Sebastian Jung, Teacher of History and Geography
Dr. Charles Kabwete Mulinda, Associate Professor at the University of Rwanda, Department of History and Heritage Studies
Dr. Aurélia Kalisky, Researcher at the Leibniz-Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung, Berlin
Emmanuel Kamaza, Public Policy Consultant, Kigali, Rwanda
Oscar Karangwa, Former Cambridge student
Dr. Jean-Pierre Karegeye, Department of Philosophy, Dickinson College
Aimable Karirima Ngarambe, Journalist
Prof. Zachary D. Kaufman, Associate Professor of Law and Political Science, University of Houston Law Center
Dr. Jean Kayitsinga, Assistant Professor, Julian Samora Research Institute, Michigan State University
Dr. Jean-Paul Kimonyo, Researcher and author
Prof. Joël Kotek, Professeur at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po)
Lyn Kouadio, Philomathia Africa Scholar, University of Cambridge
Samuel Kuhn, Teacher of History and Geography
Dr. Anouche Kunth, Historian, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
Amon Kwesiga, Institution licensing and accreditation, Rwanda Higher Education Council (HEC)
Dr. Julie Le Gac, Senior Lecturer in Modern History, University of Paris Nanterre, Institut Universitaire de France
Maria Malagardis, Journalist
Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
Jean-Pierre Martin, Journalist and special correspondent
Prof. François Masabo, Centre for Conflict Management, University of Rwanda
Déo Mazina, Chairman of Réseaux International Recherche and Génocide (RESIRG)
Dr. Consolée Mbarushimana, Senior Lecturer in CyberSecurity, University of Wolverhampton
Linda Melvern, British investigative journalist. Author of Intent to Deceive Denying the Genocide of the Tutsi (Verso 2020)
Dr. Roland Moerland, Assistant Professor of Criminology, Maastricht University
Dr. Allan T. Moore, Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of the West of Scotland. Member of the International Association of Genocide Scholars
Jacques Morel, Author of “La France au coeur du génocide des Tutsi”
Dr. Ève Morisi, Associate Professor of French, University of Oxford
Dr. Claire Mouradian, Emeritus Director of Research, CNRS, Paris
Louisa Esther Mugabo, Journalist
Honorine Mujyambere, Ibuka Italy Chairperson
Dafroza Mukarumongi-Gauthier, CPCR-France
Dr. Jean François Munyakayanza, Historian, Senior Lecturer, University of Rwanda
Revd Dr. Malachie Munyaneza
Alice Musabende, Gates Scholar, University of Cambridge
Freddy Mutanguha, Executive Director, Aegis Trust
Anais Mutumba, Freelance journalist
Yael Navaro, Reader in Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge
Felix Ndahinda, Researcher and Consultant
Tom Ndahiro, Genocide scholar
Prof. Juvenal Ndayiragije, Chair, Department of Language Studies, UTSC, University of Toronto
Prof. Pap Ndiaye, Sciences Po, Paris
Dr. Eric Ns. Ndushabandi, Director of the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace. Professor of Political Science, University of Rwanda
Dr. Alexander Ngenzi, Academician and a researcher at University of Rwanda
Raphaël Nkaka, Senior Lecturer, Deputy Dean, School of Governance, College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Rwanda
Egide Nkuranga, Ibuka-Rwanda Chairperson
Dr. Zoe Norridge, Senior Lecturer in African and Comparative Literature, King’s College London
Etienne Nsanzimana, buka-France Chairperson
Dr. Vincent Ntaganira, Public Servant and visiting lecturer at the University of Rwanda
Dr. S. Vahni P. Capildeo, FRSL, University of York
Séta Papazian, President of Collectif VAN [Vigilance Arménienne contre le Négationnisme]
Dr. Nicolas Patin, Lecturer in contemporary history, Université Bordeaux Montaigne
Dr. Kirrily Pells, UCL
Charles Petrie, Former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Deputy UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Rwanda during the period of the Genocide
Dr. Manon Pignot, Historian, Lecturer (HDR) in Contemporary History, Université Picardie Jules Verne
Dr.Florent Piton, Université de Paris, CESSMA
Romain Poncet, Ibuka-France Executive Board
Florence Prudhomme, Author, Founder of NGO Rwanda avenir
Rudy Reichstadt, Director of Conspiracy Watch
Dr. François Robinet, Lecturer, Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin / Paris-Saclay
Prof. Anna C. Roosevelt, Professor of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago
Dr. Augustin Rudacogora, University of Rwanda
David Russel, UK Coordinator, Survivors Fund (SURF)
Christine Safari , Ibuka Netherlands Chaiperson
Dr. Emmanuel Saint-Fuscien, MCF EHESS, Paris
Jonathan Salt, Managing Director of Ojemba Education
Prof. Jean-Philippe Schreiber, Professor at the Free University of Brussels (ULB)
Prof. Josias Semujanga, Professor of African literature and literary theories at the University of Montreal (Cana. His publications include Narrating Itsembabwoko. When literature becomes Testimony of Genocide (2019), Origins of the Rwandan Genocide (2003), and Récits fondateurs du drame rwandais (1998)
Dr. Serigne Seye, CAMES Assistant Professor, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal
Hilda Shema Kamali, Rwanda Women Representative- RCA -NL
Dr. John Shofel Ruzibuka, senior lecturer economics, Leeds Becket University Business School
Dr. James Smith, President of the UK National Holocaust Centre
Aloys Tegera, Historian, Senior Researcher at Pole Institute based in Goma, DRC
Dr. Yves Ternon, Historian
Dr. Sylvie Thénault, Director of studies, CNRS
Rebecca Tinsley, Journalist and author
Xavier Truti, Executive Project Manager, member of Citizen Culture
Prof. Aimable Twagilimana, SUNY Buffalo State, New York, USA
Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, Author
Sandrine Umutoni, Director General of Imbuto Foundation
Dr. Alice Urusaro Karekezi, Researcher Fellow, University of Rwanda
Dr. Alain Verhaagen, Senior lecturer, Université libre de Bruxelles
Dr. Clémentine Vidal-Naquet, Lecturer in Contemporary History, Université Picardie Jules Verne
Dr. Alice von Bieberstein, Humboldt University of Berlin
Dr. Andrew Wallis, Author and journalist
Dr. Caroline Williamson Sinalo, University College Cork
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