Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families Summary
The United Nations & United States’ Mishandling of the Rwandan Genocide
Philip Gourevitch’s We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families is an account of the Rwandan genocide and his observation of its aftermath. One of the major problems that occurred which allowed this genocide to happen was the failure of the United Nations and United States to take action. The U.N. came into existence immediately following the end of the Second World War. The creation of this organization promised a new era of peace and justice, a promise that its predecessor, the League of Nations failed to keep. Despite the U.N.’s attempt at delivering its intentions, it had in fact demonstrated itself to be an extremely ineffective organization The United Nations and United States said that never again would they let genocide such as that, which occurred during the Holocaust happen, yet it came about right under their eyes and …show more content…
When Gen. Dallaire asked for 5,000 troops so that he could halt the killings, the U.N Security Council voted to cut the number of UNAMIR troops by 90 percent and leave just 270 (Gourevitvh, 150). Then, on April 28th, 1994, the U.N Security Council passed a resolution acknowledging the killings but omitting the word "genocide", not willing to say "genocide" as they would be legally and morally obligated to act to "prevent and punish" those responsible for the genocide. The U.N. also had many flaws in stalling the deployment of peace keeping forces as there were arguments about who would finance the operation. Finally the genocide came to a halt with the help of an exiled group of Tutsi rebels known as the Rwandan Patriotic Front. The RPF returned to Rwanda and ended the killings and took down the Hutu government. The genocide was over and 800,000 Tutsis had lost their lives in 100 days. This genocide proved to be one of the most horrific in recent history
Philip Gourevitch’s We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families is an account of the Rwandan genocide and his observation of its aftermath. One of the major problems that occurred which allowed this genocide to happen was the failure of the United Nations and United States to take action. The U.N. came into existence immediately following the end of the Second World War. The creation of this organization promised a new era of peace and justice, a promise that its predecessor, the League of Nations failed to keep. Despite the U.N.’s attempt at delivering its intentions, it had in fact demonstrated itself to be an extremely ineffective organization The United Nations and United States said that never again would they let genocide such as that, which occurred during the Holocaust happen, yet it came about right under their eyes and …show more content…
When Gen. Dallaire asked for 5,000 troops so that he could halt the killings, the U.N Security Council voted to cut the number of UNAMIR troops by 90 percent and leave just 270 (Gourevitvh, 150). Then, on April 28th, 1994, the U.N Security Council passed a resolution acknowledging the killings but omitting the word "genocide", not willing to say "genocide" as they would be legally and morally obligated to act to "prevent and punish" those responsible for the genocide. The U.N. also had many flaws in stalling the deployment of peace keeping forces as there were arguments about who would finance the operation. Finally the genocide came to a halt with the help of an exiled group of Tutsi rebels known as the Rwandan Patriotic Front. The RPF returned to Rwanda and ended the killings and took down the Hutu government. The genocide was over and 800,000 Tutsis had lost their lives in 100 days. This genocide proved to be one of the most horrific in recent history