According to these human rights associations, between April and July 1994, at least 60,000 Tutsis sheltering in the hills of Bisesero were killed by pro-government Hutu forces.

On June 27, French forces from Operation Turquoise based in Goma, in neighboring Zaire, entered the zone. Christophe Boisbouvier was RFI's special correspondent, and had just met a group of Tutsi refugees:

"When a small French column encountered them, they had just lost one of their own. 'Take us with you,' one of them said. 'I cannot,' replied the French commander, 'I only have 12 men and 3 jeeps, but now I know you are here and I will help you'."

But when the soldiers returned in force 60 hours later, at least 2,000 Tutsis were lying on the ground.

For the human rights associations pursuing the French state, these deaths could have been avoided. So what is the connection to the diplomatic document revealed by Mediapart on February 14? Eric Plouvier, lawyer at the IFHR (International Federation for Human Rights), believes that this document proves that France, fifteen days after the Bisesero massacre, evacuated Hutu génocidaires instead of helping Tutsi victims:

"It is certain that French authorities did not have the mission to exfiltrate genocidal personnel, but had the mission from the United Nations within the framework of Operation Turquoise to rescue people, so the document seems to us to be of particular interest in this proceeding."

The lawyers hope that this document will allow the investigation to be reopened, which has been stalled for three years.