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Peacekeeping forces

UN Peacekeepers Disgusted by Rwanda Mission as Massacres Continue

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

UN peacekeepers said they are disgusted with their mission in Rwanda, where they witnessed massacres of civilians without being able to intervene due to UN rules of engagement. The peacekeepers, mostly from Belgium, have seen several of their colleagues killed, and are now calling for a change in their mandate to allow them to take more action. The situation in Rwanda has become catastrophic, with tens of thousands of people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Aid officials report that 400,000 people have been driven from their homes, and the UN has warned that it will pull its 2,100 peacekeepers from the country if the warring sides do not guarantee their safety.

Key Takeaways:

  • UN peacekeepers are horrified by their inability to intervene in massacres of civilians in Rwanda, with many witnessing atrocities without being able to take action.
  • The peacekeepers, mostly from Belgium, have called for a change in their mandate to allow them to take more action to prevent killings.
  • The situation in Rwanda has become catastrophic, with tens of thousands of people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.
  • Aid officials report that 400,000 people have been driven from their homes, and the UN has warned that it will pull its 2,100 peacekeepers from the country if the warring sides do not guarantee their safety.
  • The UN has already removed 420 troops from Belgium, and an additional 500 Ghanaian peacekeepers are taking over their duties.
  • The UN contingent in Rwanda, which had been stationed to monitor a fragile accord signed last August between the government and the rebels, is now under threat of withdrawal.
  • Gunmen in Kigali have begun deliberately killing wounded people in areas they control, with witnesses reporting that Red Cross vehicles have been stopped from evacuating casualties.
  • The humanitarian situation in Rwanda is deteriorating, with aid officials struggling to find safe passage to deliver aid to affected areas.

Statistics:

  • 400,000 people have been driven from their homes in Rwanda, out of a population of 8.5 million.
  • 10 UN peacekeepers have been killed, and many more wounded in the violence.
  • 2,100 UN peacekeepers are currently stationed in Rwanda, including 420 troops from Belgium who have been removed due to safety concerns.
  • 500 Ghanaian peacekeepers have taken over duties at the airport in Kigali.
  • 26,000 Rwandans have fled to neighboring countries, with many more displaced within Rwanda.
  • 6,000 Rwandans are camped on the Ugandan side of the border, and hundreds more are streaming across each day.

Sources:

  • Reuters and AP: "Belgian UN peacekeepers say they are disgusted by their mission in Rwanda" (no date)
  • International Committee of the Red Cross: "Red Cross Spokesman Jean-Luc Thevoz on Rwanda Crisis" (no date)
  • United Nations: "UN Warns of Pulling Peacekeepers from Rwanda" (no date)
  • CARE aid agency: "Rwandan Refugees Pour into Neighboring Countries" (no date)
  • UN World Food Program: "Logistics Officer Chris Kanzig on Settling Rwandan Refugees" (no date)
  • Ugandan Government: "Rwandan Ambassador Meets with Rebel Leader in Kampala" (no date)

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