Kelly-Anne Kidston
Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /mnt/volume_lon1_01/wikireplied/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-word-count/public/class-wpwc-public.php on line 123
The Rwandan genocide resulted in over 800,000 🙌 Tutsi and Hutu, with the majority of them being moderate Hutu, killing more than 800,000 😉 It was a terrible atrocity that the international community failed to stop. Many factors are interconnected, complex, and contributed to the international failure to act, including misguided views of African conflicts and the bureaucratic nature and fatigue of peacekeeping. However, this essay will focus on three reasons that the authors deem to be the most important ones: First, the “shadow of Somalia” was still present and made states as well as the UN Secretariat unwilling to engage in another Peace Operation in Africa. Inaction was also due to national interests: United States Because there were no national interests at stake, the decision was not made to intervene. France, which was defending its national interests, didn’t try to save Rwandans, but rather actively supported the genocide. Third, due to the media’s failure to report on the genocide there was no internal pressure from citizens that could have influenced policy makers. My argument develops as follows. The major actors – Belgium, the UN Secretariat, the US and France – knew that there was genocide underway in Rwanda; therefore, they’re have having an obligation to prevent and stop the genocide but lacked political will. Every actor will be evaluated individually. Following my analysis, I’ll show you that these three factors led to inaction on the Security Council. Member states were too focused on ongoing civil war than they were discussing the genocide. They should have acted under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The UNAMIR, which had neither the resources nor a strong mandate, was an unwitting witness to the genocide.🙌 [1]
Also, the UN continues to be accused of sexual exploitation and rape by its peacekeepers. This is further undermining the UN’s confidence, especially in certain countries in which its troops are stationed. The US is pressing for US peacekeepers take on an aggressive role against African armed Islamists. The summit between President Barack Obama and Ban will be held in New York this month. It will seek to secure commitments to improve peacekeeping forces with more trained soldiers, intelligence resources and equipment, much to the annoyance of certain countries that have large contingents in blue helmets. Christian Mendoza, Padang (Indonesia), October 19, 2020. [2]
Based on an article that was just published archive.globalpolicy.orgThe report criticized the United Nations for failing to respond to a well-known cable that was sent Jan. 11, 1994 by Lt. General Romeo Dallaire, a Canadian force commander, warning about the danger of genocide. Annan received the cable, but it wasn’t shared to the Security Council. The report stated that the Security Council didn’t get the necessary follow-up. The UN and Security Council also ignored the groundbreaking report by UN Human Rights Investigator for Rwanda, who suggested in August 1993 the possibility of a genocide. Helena Champion amended the above on October 13, 2020. [3]
Hrw.org goes on to mention that during the early weeks of slaughter international leaders did not use the word genocide, as if avoiding the term could eliminate the obligation to confront the crime. The major international actorspolicymakers in Belgium, the U.S., France, and the U.N.all understood the gravity of the crisis within the first twenty-four hours even if they could not have predicted the massive toll that the slaughter would eventually take. To confront the terrorists, they could use UNAMIR troops or national forces or combine forces of all three to save lives. They could have disrupted the killing campaign at its central and most essential It could also have been disabled throughout the country by the presence of foreign soldiers. They could have been a counterweight for the elite forces of Bagosora and encouraged those who were not to be a part of the genocide to come forward. Carolyn Gray, Oaxaca de Juarez (Mexico), October 9, 2020. [4]
Refer to the Article
- https://www.e-ir.info/2012/04/07/rwandan-genocide-failure-of-the-international-community/
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/17/un-united-nations-peacekeepers-rwanda-bosnia
- https://archive.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/201-rwanda/39240.html
- https://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/rwanda/Geno15-8-01.htm
