Within this next section is information containing incites on the events that transpired before, during, and after the 1994 genocide concerning international response. We feel that it is important for people learning about the genocide of Rwanda to know what kind of assistance was or was not given to them throughout the years. It is important to understand the seriousness of what took place along the timeline of the genocide and to be able to take one's view from inside the chaos.
After the end of the First World War the Belgians were given rule over Rwanda by the League of Nations in 1946, making Rwanda a Belgian trust territory of the United Nations. Of the three tribes in Rwanda, Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa, the Tutsis were favored by the Belgians because of their European appearance, all but their skin tone. The Belgians granted them the right to shared political power and allowed them to continue with their mwami rule.
Although the Belgians allowed the mwami rule to take part, they ruled the people in absolute monarchy and treated them horribly. The people began to rally for their country's independence. This caused a uproar with the Belgian colonial power. (Bekkenkamp, pg.66)
"The Royalist Party, the Rwandese National Union, had claimed that the UN Trusteeship Council had been backing them and sending financial aid to them. This ,in turn, led to the Belgian administration backing out of their agreement with Tutsi ruling caste" (Bekkenkamp, pg.66).
From 1959-1962,with increasing political rivalry between the Tutsi and Hutu Belgium drastically switched its alliance with the Tutsi aristocracy to the majority Hutu which led to the independence of Rwanda and the clear cut ethnic divisions among the tribes in Rwanda. (Sellstrom and Wohlgemuth, Ch.3 para.16)
In 1959 killing broke out among the Hutu and Tutsi causing the Belgians to send in troops in support of the Hutu. Belgium had betrayed the Tutsis. Over the years in 1964, 1967, and 1972 more fighting and murdering occurred among the Tutsi in which their was no aid given to them by the Belgian administration. The murdering continued over the years with no sign of assistance in stopping or preventing it, especially from the international community.
In 1973 Maj. Gen. Juvénal Habyarimana, the commander of the national guard was given leadership in the government. A few years ,shortly after, he was elected president in 1978 under their newly drawn up constitution. In 1993, when Habyarimana decided to sign a power sharing agreement violence broke out in the capital between angry Hutu and the RPF (Rwandese Patriotic Front) ,that consisted mainly of Tutsi refugees. Shortly after the contention between the two groups a peace mission agreement was signed by the UN. (PBSONLINE-Chronology, 1995-2006)
In 1994 the plane carrying President Habyarimana and the president of Burundi was shot down. It was assumed to be rebel Tutsis which led to rebel Hutu armies taking vengeance against the Tutsis, the start of the 1994 genocide.
In the 1990s, the international community (OAU, UN, Belgium, France, Germany, USA and Rwanda's neighboring countries) had an important role of establishing peace in Rwanda but were thrown off guard with the attack in April 1994. The international community had been blinded by those leading the massacres. (Sellstrom and Wohlgemuth, Ch.5 para.26) The most devastating inactivity during the genocide was from the UN and UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission For Rwanda).
The largest amount of soldiers was provided by the Belgian government, but after 10 of their soldiers were killed the Belgian troops were withdrawn from the country. French armies overtook their place in Rwanda. Although more groups of soldiers were sent in to Rwanda it was not fast enough. The UN and the OAU were both pushing for more needed equipment but supplies did not come quick enough.
In the words of the religious historian Ian Linden:
"The withdrawal of the bulk of the UN forces and the failure of the Security Council to re-enforce them and acknowledge that genocide was taking place cost thousands of lives and will be recorded as one of the most culpable and tragic of the UN's many mistakes on intervention" (Sellstrom and Wohlgemuth, 1996)
On May 17, 1994, the Security Council strengthened UNAMIR by sending in 5,500 more men. More French were sent into Rwanda but left in August of 1994 to hand it over to the Ethiopian UN troops. Troops were continuously being withdrawn from the country and others being sent in.
We see that with more intervention from the international community much could have been done to halt the fighting. Calls for help were made but ignored.
On April 6 th of 1994 a code cable was sent to the UN headquarters by Major General Romeo Dallaire, U.N. force commander in Rwanda, to warn them of the plans being drawn out by Hutu extremists to kill Tutsis.
Dallaire urgently requested protection for an informant who outlined to him Hutu plans being made to exterminate Tutsis; to provoke and kill Belgian troops so as to guarantee Belgium's withdrawal from Rwanda; and the location of interahamwe arm caches. Everything Dallaire's informant told him came true three months later" (Frontline, outgoing code cable, 1995-2006).
Although Dallaire tried to warn the people of the Hutu plans his warnings were ignored. The head of the UN (Kofi Annan, head of UN peacekeeping) cautioned Dallaire to not take it into his own hands but to inform the President of Rwanda of the Hutu plans to kill the Tutsis. The killers were part of the president's own interahamwe (fighting force against the Tutsi) which made it easier for the killing to continue without intervention from the government in Rwanda. The UN would not have any part in stopping the fighting until concerns were taken care of with the president. (Frontline: UN Response, 1995-2006)
The warnings were given but no one came quickly running to take care of the problem of genocide. As stated in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment on the Crime of Genocide for an act to be considered genocide there must have been "certain acts committed, and that they be done with a particular intent: that of destroying, in whole or in part a nation, ethnic, racial, or religious group, as such" (Independent Inquiry, Annan, Kofi A., 1999). The international community's failed response to the genocide furthered its efforts to regain control and stop the mass murdering.
We tell of the international community's lack of support because we do not want this carelessness to happen again. We as a community have the opportunity to take a stand against the violence that surrounds us or might even be amongst many of us in our own countries. Although the response during the genocide in Rwanda was low we can make a difference now to help our brothers and sisters around the world.
After the genocide of 1994 took place the world began to take a stand and recognize that they did not do enough.
A hearing before the Subcommittee of Africa was given for the benefit of furthering the causes to prevent genocide from occurring again. The U.S. and the U.N. stated that "[we] are determined to be better prepared in [our] efforts to aid Rwanda and other countries in their troubles" (International Relations, pg.13, 2004). The US and UN have stepped up their involvement in their efforts to aid Rwanda.
Organizations such as the UN Consolidated Appeals has given emergency humanitarian assistance. This has brought the UNDP and the Rwandese government together in rebuilding Rwanda's economy. The people of Rwanda have been affected socially, politically, and economically because of the genocide. Another major assistance for the people has been through agriculture. The World Food Programme has been working to provide relief to the people by sending food and seeds for planting so the people can begin anew. This has allowed the people to regain their strength and get back on their feet. The Ministry of Health with assistance from organizations such as WHO and UNICEF have been able to provide adequate health care and rehabilitation to the people. (Sellstrom and Hohlgemuth, 1996.)
The US has contributed to the Genocide Survivors Fund and the Great Lakes Justice Initiative over the years to provide assistance to the many refugees in Africa. These funds have brought relief to many people in Africa who are without shelter and need safety. (Great Lakes, 2000) Along with this fund the US has contributed through its USAID by supporting regions in need as they work together with other countries and organizations to contribute to Rwanda's revival.
We must remember that the battle for freedom from genocide is not over. Rwanda still needs assistance from the international community. People are still fleeing their homes to survive attacks from the rebel armies that haunt them day by day in the regions in and around Rwanda. Children are in severe danger of being captured and forced to fight with the rebels.
We, as the international community, must take a stand against this violence that surrounds us. Although we have stepped up our aid given to the survivors in Rwanda the fight goes on. We urge you to do your part in preventing genocide. We can come together and make a difference by supporting our countries troops, taking a stand against violence, giving aid to those in need, and many other ways.We must be able to learn from the past to teach the future of the importance of prevention. Genocide does not have to happen again.
Annan, Kofi A., Inquiry, United Nations, Security Council, 1999.
Bekkenkamp, Jonneke and Yvonne Sherwood. Sanctified Aggression: Legacies of Biblical and Post-Biblical Vocabularies of Violence. New York, T&T Clark International, 2003
Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia,The, 6th ed. c2006, Columbia University Press. [Internet]. Available from: http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0860866.html Accessed 2006 Apr.11
Frontline: The Triumph of Evil c1995-2006 WGBH Educational Foundation. [Internet]. Available from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/warning/ Accessed 2006 Apr.6
Great Lakes Justice Initiative, Nov.9, 2000, [Internet] Available from: http://www1.usaid.gov/pubs/bj2001/afr/glji/ Accessed 2006 Apr.17
Sub committee on Africa-International Relations, Ser. No.108-96, Washington, U.S. Gov. Print Office, 2004
Sellstrom, Tor and Lennart Wohlgemuth, Journal of Humanitarian Assistance. Posted 14 April 1996 [Internet] Available from: http://www.reliefweb.int/library/nordic/book1/pb020g.html