Synopsis
Thesis: The United Nations does not provide sufficient aid in preventing African genocide as seen by the
amount of military relief, help given to refugees, and the time needed for effective international
intervention.
Argument 1: Peacekeeping efforts from the United Nations were insufficient in stopping genocide in
Africa.
Evidence:
 The former commander of the United Nations peacekeeping troops in Rwanda, General Romeo
Dallaire, said that the troops deployed in Rwanda were mostly “poorly equipped, ill-trained and
unable to sustain themselves for two months” 1. Most of the peacekeepers in Rwanda were
unprepared for what they would face.2
 The United States, France, Belgium, and Italy all began evacuating their personnel from Rwanda
until there were only 200 peacekeepers3 left for the entire country.
 Romeo Dallaire requested the immediate deployment of at least 5000 troops4 for the United
Nations Mission to Rwanda, but his request was denied
 The United Nations Special Envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, told the Security Council that Darfur is a
"dismal picture"5 and said “a much larger peacekeeping force is needed than the small African
Union force already deployed.”6
Counter Argument 1: Due to the United Nations’ priorities they were justified in providing the
amount of military relief they did.
Evidence:
 At the time the United Nations already had twelve missions 7, and a mission to Rwanda would
become too costly, although the lives that could have potentially been saved would have been
worth the cost.
 The United Nations only saw the conflict of Rwanda as a small civil war that needed to be
resolved internally.
 The United Nations did make progress in the development of peace in Sudan in July 2007 with
Resolution 1769, approving the deployment of 20,0008 United Nations-African Union “hybrid”
peacekeeping troops in Darfur.
Argument 2: The United Nations did not give enough aid to refugees, which was necessary in order
to prevent African genocide.
Evidence:
 The corrupt Rwandan government played a role in the aid given to refugees as seen from the
quote: “The food aid for them (refugees of the Rwandan genocide) was diverted for profit, an
operation organized by people close to the government” 9. The aid that was intended to go to the
refugees did not reach them and the United Nations made insufficient efforts to make sure it did.
 As a result of poor conditions for refugees in Rwanda, humanitarian officials said that “more than
60 refugees were dying each day”. 10
 The United Nations also failed to provide a much needed safe haven to Rwandan refugees. 11 There
were very few refugee camps or United Nations protected zones near the Rwandan border.
1
Dallaire Describes Ethnic Cleansing in Testimony (CTV News, October 2, 2007)
Ibid.
3
Genocide in Rwanda, Rwanda Genocide, Rwanda Massacres. (United Human Rights Council, October
4
In-depth: Romeo Dallaire. (CBC News, March 9, 2005)
5
Samantha Power, Bystanders to Genocide. (Atlantic Monthly, 2001) 84-108
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid. 55
8
On Our Watch. (PBS Frontline, November 20, 2007)
9
Linda Melvern, A People Betrayed: The Role of the West in Rwanda's Genocide. (London,UK: Zed
10
Rwandan Refugees Make Solemn Homecoming. (CNN News, May 8, 1997)
11
In-depth: Romeo Dallaire. (CBC News, March 9, 2005)
2
2007)
Books Ltd, 2000) 72.

Refugees in Darfur are being threatened by disease, malnutrition, violence, and rape and according
to Darfur Activist, Eric Reeves, the United Nations efforts “are falling far short of the massive
need”12.
 The World Health Organization released the following statement: “at least 70,000 people have
died since March 2004 as a result of poor conditions in refugee camps [in Sudan]” 13. This shows
that a significant amount of lives lost in the genocide were caused by the lack of help given to
refugees by the United Nations.
Counter Argument 2: The United Nations has given a great amount of effort in aiding refugees of
genocide.
Evidence:
 The United Nations did not make any other attempts to help refugees of the Rwandan genocide
flee to safety because they felt their priority in Rwanda was mainly to help enforce peace
agreements and not as much to protect civilians
 The United Nations has made progress in giving humanitarian aid to refugees as stated by Susan
Rice, “International pressure has forced some change in Darfur. The government has reluctantly
allowed in relief aid, some of which, the U.N. reports, is reaching the Darfuris who have fled” 14.
Argument 3: The amount of time needed for the United Nations to intervene effectively is too long
and is insufficient in preventing genocide in Africa.
Evidence:
 On the 14th day15 of the genocide the United Nations Security Council voted to withdraw 90%16
of the peacekeepers in Rwanda because they felt that other missions such as Yugoslavia were a
bigger priority. However it was shown that the number of people that were effected by Rwanda
was 800 000 killed in one hundred days 17 where as in Yugoslavia it was 200 000 deaths in 3
years18.
 Every month of inaction will result in 6000 deaths19 in Darfur because of the swift killings of the
Janjaweed militia.
 Some countries such as China are suspected to be slowing down the peace process by vetoing to
block any resolutions with sanctions against the Sudanese government because of its own national
interests.20
 Amnesty International published photos which showed proof that the Sudanese government defied
a United Nations authorized arms embargo and continued to deploy military equipment in
Darfur.21 Since the Sudanese government continues to not abide by the resolutions proposed by
the United Nations, the United Nations’ must take further action to ensure that Sudan does help
enforce resolutions.
Counter Argument 3: Considering that the United Nations should not infringe on another nation’s
sovereignty, they have given as much aid as they could to prevent genocide.
Evidence:
 The United Nations peacekeeping troops were in Rwanda since the first day of the genocide,
which shows that international intervention started early on during the genocide
 It is believed that a larger operation force to stop the genocide could have taken several weeks to
be deployed, which would have increased the amount of time needed for effective international
intervention.22
12
Eric Reeves, How Many Deaths in Darfur? (August 20, 2007)
Ibid.
14
Susan Rice et. al, We Saved Europeans. Why Not Africans? (Professional Development Collection,
15
Ghosts of Rwanda. (PBS Frontline, November 20, 2007)
16
Ibid.
17
Ibid.
18
David Kilgour, Shadows of Rwanda: Darfur, Sudan - the Violence Continues. (November 16, 2005)
19
On Our Watch. (PBS Frontline, November 20, 2007)
20
Ibid.
21
Ibid.
22
Michael O’Hanlon, Expanding Global Military Capacity for Human Intervention. (Washington, D.C.:
Press, 2003) 23.
13
2007) 23-24
Brookings Institution