President Paul Kagame has paid tribute to Dafroza Mukarumongi Gauthier, the Rwandan-born campaigner who spent decades helping bring people suspected of involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi to justice in France.
Gauthier was laid to rest following a funeral ceremony in Reims, northeastern France, on Monday, October 12. She died on October 3 at the age of 72.
Kagame’s message of condolence was delivered at the ceremony by Rwanda’s ambassador to France, François Nkulikiyimfura, who represented the government and the Rwandan people.
In the message, Kagame expressed sympathy to Gauthier’s husband, Alain Gauthier, their three children, relatives, friends and those who had worked alongside her.
“Dafroza will always remain in our hearts because of her unwavering commitment to fighting impunity for those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” Kagame said.
The President said that for more than 30 years, Gauthier had dedicated herself to restoring dignity to genocide victims and supporting survivors by pursuing accountability for those suspected of taking part in the killings.
He also praised the legacy she leaves through the Collectif des parties civiles pour le Rwanda (CPCR), the organisation she co-founded with her husband in 2001 to help investigate genocide suspects living in France and support efforts to bring them before French courts.
Gauthier’s commitment was shaped in part by her own family’s loss during the genocide. Born in Butare in 1954, she was living in France when the 1994 killings took place. About 80 members of her extended family were killed, according to tributes published following her death.
Working with Alain, she helped gather witness accounts and evidence in Rwanda, identify suspects who had sought refuge in France and compile case files for French judicial authorities.
Their work contributed to several trials and convictions in France. The couple received Rwanda’s Igihango national honour from Kagame on November 18, 2017, in recognition of their contribution to justice and cooperation between countries.
The organisation Ibuka also honoured Gauthier at the funeral, describing her as an exceptional figure in the struggle for truth and justice for genocide survivors.
In its tribute, Ibuka said she had given a voice to victims who could no longer speak for themselves and had worked to ensure that the genocide was neither forgotten nor denied.
The organisation also recalled her role in translating documents, explaining testimonies in Kinyarwanda and speaking to young people about the genocide and the importance of confronting its denial and minimisation.
Kagame said Gauthier’s work would remain an example for Rwandans and future generations. Her husband and the CPCR have pledged to continue the pursuit of justice and remembrance to which she devoted much of her life.
