Alison L. Des Forges

Alison l. Des Forges (deceased) was "a consultant at Human Rights Watch and author of Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda." 


 * Member, Human Rights Watch Africa Advisory Committee

Alison died in 2009 and according to Kenneth Roth: "The very week of her death, Alison was corresponding with Hassan Jallow, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, about the importance of not ignoring the RPF crimes."

Background
"Alison Des Forges has promoted herself as the expert of experts in all the major trials in Arusha as though she understands Rwandans better than they understand themselves. “Alison Des Forges behaves as if she is Rwanda’s honorary consul,” complained former Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu. “When I met her for the first time in 1992, even though she had done her thesis on Rwanda, it was obvious she knew very little about Rwanda.” Supporters of the “right and proper” make much of Ms Des Forges’ vast knowledge of Rwanda and of her selfless dedication. They conveniently forget to mention that she was employed by the United States State Department in 1990 and 1992 and that she maintained close relations with the US National Security Council and the Pentagon throughout the 1990s." 

In 1999, International Law In Brief "congratulates human rights advocates Alison L. Des Forges and Gay J. McDougall on their MacArthur "genius grants" announced this week by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation." Also see

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * The Global Conference on the Prevention of Genocide
 * MacArthur Fellowship: Public Issues