An Analysis and Evaluation of the United Nations Peacekeeping Role in Rwanda

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An Analysis and Evaluation of the United Nations Peacekeeping Role in Rwanda

"Rwanda is the most shameful example of recent failure by the

international community" (House of Commons, 1998/99: v). Under the

peacekeeping leadership of UN more than 800,000 people were killed in

less than 100 days in 1994 (Shawcross 2000). This systematic killing

remains a bitter memory for all who witnessed and survived it.

Rwandans killed Rwandans, decimating the Tutsi population of the

country and also targeting moderate Hutus. Lamentably the peacekeepers

did not prevent the genocide, nor did they stop it once it started.

This failure has left deep wounds within Rwandan society, and

seriously questioned their relationship with the international

community, in particular the United Nations (UN 2000). These wounds

need healing, for the sake of peace and tranquility. Establishing the

truth is a necessity under the circumstance, especially for the United

Nations and also for all those, wherever they may live, who might be

vulnerable to future genocide.

In seeking to establish the truth about the role of UN during the

genocide this article sets out to analyse and evaluate the role of the

various UN systems, in particular the Secretary-General, the

Secretariat, the Security Council and the Member States of the

organisation, during the peacekeeping process. The article will be

divided into three parts. The first part will outline a brief

background of the UN Peacekeeping operations while the second analyzes

an overview of the UN Peacekeeping operations in Rwanda. This will

provide the basis for an evaluation of the UN peacekeeping role. The

analysis wi...

... middle of paper ...

...: 53). "Why the U.N. Fails": Foreign Affairs

73/5

United Nations (1st October 2000). An Evolving Technique:

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/intro/1.htm, accessed 17th November 2000.

United Nations (1st October 2000). United Nations Peacekeeping: Some

questions and answers: http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/ques.htm,

accessed 17th November 2000.

United Nations (1st October 2000). Report of the Independent Inquiry

into the Actions of the United Nations in the Rwandan Genocide:

http://www.un.org/News/ossg/rwanda_report.htm, accessed 17th November

2000.

Whitman. J. (1999).Peacekeeping and the UN Agencies: Frank Cass

Publishers, London.

Whittaker. D. J. (1995). United Nations in Action: UCL Press Limited,

London

Wiseman. H. (1985). Peacekeeping Appraisal and Proposals: Programme

Press Ltd., England.

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