The UN Inadequacies

The author describes the results of the UN Independent Inquiryon the Genocide in Rwanda, which he headed. The internationalcommunity's reluctance to commit itself and its resources tothe UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR or UN Mission),coupled with the inadequacy of UNAMIR's initial mandate, areidentified as the crucial reasons for the Mission's failings.These weaknesses led to the failure of the UN forces on theground to respond effectively to the genocide and inhibitedtheir ability to protect civilians and UN staffers. The authordetails the failures both of the UN Mission in Rwanda and ofthe leadership in New York, with unflinching exactitude, drawingimportant lessons to help ensure that another such breakdownof the UN system during a time of crisis does not happen again.