Publisher’s note
In spring 1994 over one million Tutsis were exterminated by the Hutu-led authorities in Rwanda. In the aftermath of the 20th century’s last genocide, Dafroza and Alain Gauthier, a Franco-Rwandan couple, began a quest for justice that seemed impossible at the time: hunting down the Rwandan killers who had taken refuge in France, and doing everything possible to get them to stand trial. They had to collect the testimony of the few survivors, corroborate it with that of the killers, convince the victims to join the proceedings as civil parties… For the Gauthiers, this has become their life’s work.
“Genocide is pure evil. An evil that cannot be healed.” Dafroza Gauthier
Michel Welterlin, who was involved in the publication of Rwanda. À la poursuite des génocidaires, this time round has put pen to paper to write Enfants fantômes, le destin extraordinaire de Ibou et Arame, illustrated by Daniel Ngassu.
The book tells the story of Ibou and Arame, two children who have no legal identity, using the naïve lines and bright colours of the illustrator’s watercolour pens. One lives in Senegal, the other in Mali, but their paths will cross and their fates will be turned upside down as a result. This tale of friendship and hope is based on real events.
Over 165 million under-fives worldwide are not registered at birth. Invisible in the eyes of the law, they are nicknamed the “ghost children”, and are unable to access education or healthcare, and are exposed to all forms of violence (kidnapping, trafficking, sex work, terrorist networks, etc.).
Enfants fantômes has been published with the support of UNICEF, the International Organisation of La Francophonie, and the Supreme Council of Notaries. These organisations are fighting a joint battle for the ghost children’s right to be legally registered.
