MSA PRESENTATION 2016

LARA ZIENER & JOHARA MEYER

Subject: History/Politics

Tutor: Mrs. Berner

Silent witnesses or effective peacekeepers ?

The UN in Rwanda -

Table of Contents
Genocide:

the deliberate and systematic extermination committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.

Definitions - Genocide

Capital: Kigali

President: Paul Kagame

Neighboring countries:

Uganda, Burundi, Rep. Of Congo, Tanzania 

Definitions - Rwanda

Definitions – ethnic groups

Tutsi – the cattle farmers (14%)

 

Hutu – the farmers (85%)​

Twa – the hunters (1%)

  • established in 1945​

  • successor of the League of Nation​

Aim: maintain international peace and security

Definitions - United Nations​​

Definitions - Peacekeepers

 "Peacekeepers help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace."

- United Nations

Definitions - Peacekeepers

PRINCIPLES

3. Non-use of force except
   in self-defence and
   defence of the mandate​
1. Consent of the parties​
2. Impartiality​

Germany colonizes Rwanda

Germany loses WWI; Belgium takes over in Rwanda

Belgium introduces 'identity card'

Hutu rebellion against Tutsi and Belgians

UN defines the term genocide and declares it a crime under international law

Rwanda gains independence from Belgium

Timeline – Colonization/ Uprising

1890

1919

1930

1959

1962

1948

Violent Tutsi uprisings

Timeline – Genocide

The Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi are killed in a plane crash 

⇒ start of Genocide 

 

UNOMUR / UNAMIR est.

​Arusha Peace Agreement 

The media holds the RPF responsible and calls for the elimination of  Tutsi’s

RPF takes military control ⇒ end of killing 

UN members withdraw troops

100 days of killings

1990

 

1993

April 6th

1994

April 21st

1994

April 7th

1994

July 4th

1994

Jan.

1994

Human Rights Watch

⇒ Hutu Militias in Rwanda are arming themselves

Timeline – Aftermath

UN Missions

Mandate: implement the Arusha Peace Agreement signed by the Rwandees parties 1993

  • France and the U.S. vetoed the mandate
  • Roméo Dallaire - Commander-in-Chief 
  • UNOMUR (June 1993 - Sept. 1994)​ 
  • UNAMIR (Oct.1993 - 8th March 1996)​​

  • 1st Phase: installation of a BBTG ​

  • 2nd Phase: disengage and demobilize rebel forces ​

  • 3rd Phase: actual intergration of government and rebel forces​

  • 4th Phase: providing security in the run-up elections

UNAMIR Mandate 

UN Mission - Mandate

UN Mission - Effectiveness

3 reasons why this mission was ineffective:

  • insufficient and delayed response

  • lack of leadership 

  • insufficient mandate

around 1 million killed /close to 2 million displaced

20% 

% population killed in during genocide

Lessons learned - by the international community

  • Take initiative - leadership
  • A clear and sufficient mandate is essential 

  • Acting promptly

Lessons learned - impact on further peacekeeping missions

 

Five-point action plan

for preventing genocides

  1. Prevent armed conflict, which usually provides the context for genocide
  2. Protect civilians in armed conflict, including through UN peacekeepers

  3. End impunity through judicial action in national and international courts

  4. Take swift and decisive action, including military action

  5. Gather information and set up an early-warning system

Silent witnesses or effective peacekeepers?

The UN in Rwanda -

Conclusion

Conclusion

 SILENT WITNESSES 

Sources

Primary Sources: 

  • The Changing Practice of Peacekeeping

​ (Sven Bernhard; Varwick, Johannes, The United Nations, Au Introduction, Polgrate Macmillan 2005, pp. 89-98) 

  • Kollaps – Warum Gesellschaften überleben oder untergehen

​( Jared Diamond; Erschienen bei FISCHER Taschenbuch, Frankfurt am Main, Oktober 2011; pp.387-408) 

  • UNAMIR – mission to Rwanda

( R. A. Dailllare, B. Poulin; Springs 1995 / JFQ ) 

 

Seconday Sources: 

Sources

 

deck

By joharameyer

deck

  • 1,388