Green light UN for anti-genocide committee

The United Nations have given the green light to a new advisory committee on the prevention genocide and acts of genocides worldwide. Seven professionals from different fields, yet all dealing with genocide in one way or another, will have the task to provide guidance to Juan Méndez, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. One of the panel members is Romeo Dallaire.

The name of Romeo Dallaire, currently a Canadian Senator, will always be linked to the willingness to prevent genocide. In 1993 and early 1994, as the Force Commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), Dallaire had strong suspicions that something terrible was about to happen in Rwanda. He had for instance noticed an increased import and trade in machetes and other arms.

Cleansing Campaign
Dallaire, via a Hutu informant known as Jean Pierre, found out that thousands of Hutu militias were preparing themselves for a national ethnic cleansing campaign against the Tutsi population. Jean-Pierre for instance told the UNAMIR Commander about the existence a growing list of Tutsi residents in Kigali. This list was to facilitate the cleansing campaign.

The Hutu informant also mentioned planned violent actions against the Belgian peacekeepers, the core of the present UN peace force. With the Belgians being under severe fire, the Hutu militia’s predicted the complete withdrawal of the United Nations. As a result, they were able to continue ‘the purification of the country from Tutsi cockroaches’. Last but not least, Jean-Pierre informed Dallaire about hidden arm depots in and around Kigali.

Genocide Fax
In a fax on January 11 1994 to the UN’s Head Quarters, known as the Genocide Fax, Dallaire informed his superiors about his findings. He also asked them for the green light to undertake preemptive action, to prevent whatever atrocities were planned. The UN refused, as ‘preemptive action’ was against UNAMIR’s mandate. The job of the peacekeepers was to monitor, to report and to support in a peaceful manner and see upon a peace agreement between warring factions in Rwanda. Using force in whatever way was prohibited.

Barely three months later Rwanda was drenched in blood, hatred, sorrow and a surreal madness that can’t be describe in words. In a scope of three months, the country one million people were slaughtered. The genocide in Rwanda would end up in the history books as one of the bloodiest genocides ever.

Scattered and haunted
Dallaire, who refused to withdraw after UNAMIR was decimated – a reaction on the cold blood murder of ten Belgian peacekeepers – remained in Rwanda for months. He left Rwanda in August of 1994, as an scattered man, haunted by what happened, what he saw, experienced, and most of all: what he could not and did not do.
About the atrocities and the role the international community played in preventing it, Dallaire commented on the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide: "I don't think there's any justification for what happened, it was a shameful episode for collective shame. The genocide was brutal, criminal and disgusting and continued for 100 days under the eyes of the international community. There is no country today... which can wash its hands of Rwandan blood just by saying sorry."

By joining the UN’s Advisory Committee on Genocide Prevention Romeo Dallaire, who has spoken and lectured countless times on how to prevent a genocide, proves once again that he is not just a man of mere words. Like he did in Rwanda in 1994, when he stuck around when the entire abandoned Rwanda. By so Dallaire, despite the fact he could not have stopped the atrocities, has made a true difference to Rwanda – a country that is also in my pores.


Miriam Mannak / Africa in the News - Cape Town