What was the global community's reaction to the Rwandan Genocide?

The global community's reaction to the Rwandan Genocide was largely one of inaction and indifference.

The Rwandan Genocide, which took place in 1994, was one of the most horrific events of the late 20th century. Over a span of 100 days, approximately 800,000 Tutsis were systematically murdered by the Hutu majority. Despite the scale and intensity of the violence, the international community largely turned a blind eye to the unfolding crisis.

The United Nations (UN) had a small peacekeeping force in Rwanda at the time, but it was ill-equipped and lacked the mandate to intervene. When the genocide began, the UN Security Council voted to withdraw most of its troops, leaving only a skeleton force behind. This decision has been widely criticised as it effectively abandoned the Tutsi population to their fate. The UN later admitted that it had failed in its responsibility to prevent the genocide.

The United States, a key player on the international stage, also failed to respond effectively to the crisis. The Clinton administration was reluctant to use the term 'genocide' to describe the situation in Rwanda, as this would have legally obligated them to intervene under the terms of the 1948 Genocide Convention. The US had recently suffered a humiliating defeat in Somalia and was wary of becoming embroiled in another African conflict. As a result, the US did not take any significant action to stop the genocide.

Other countries also failed to respond adequately. France, which had close ties with the Hutu-led government, has been accused of supporting the genocidaires, although it denies these allegations. Belgium, the former colonial power, withdrew its troops after ten were killed, further reducing the international presence in Rwanda.

In the aftermath of the genocide, the international community was forced to confront its failure to intervene. The UN and several countries, including the US and Belgium, have since apologised for their inaction. However, these apologies cannot undo the damage caused by their indifference at the time. The Rwandan Genocide serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of international inaction in the face of mass atrocities.