West Ignored Rwanda Because It Had No Strategic Resources

[Thinkerman]

Source: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne)

 

April 6, 2004

Posted to the web April 6, 2004

 

Kigali

 

The former commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR) General Romeo Dallaire on Tuesday told participants in the conference held to commemorate 10 years after the 1994 genocide that the West ignored Rwanda because it had no strategic value and no strategic resources.

 

General Dallaire was presenting a paper on Prevention and intervention to stop genocide when he said western powers were criminally responsible for the genocide because they did nothing to stop it.

 

 

He accused America of instigating the concept of fear of casualties in countries which had no value to economies, especially after the Somali incident.

 

He also challenged why the Yugoslavian conflict was treated "as more special, more complex and given more attention" than the Rwandan genocide. "Why was slaughter of the Rwandans considered as nothing more than slaughter. Are all humans the same or are some more human than others?" he queried.

 

He went on to say that "the former colonial powers abandoned Rwanda in the face of the genocide" .

 

The former commander proposed that, "the UN should be offered far more capability to prevent world powers from throwing us in a state of insecurity."

 

 

Before completing his 25 minute presentation, he applauded the work of NGO's. " The NGO community is still in its infancy as it pursues the advancement of human rights. They will pressure governments and nations with all necessary resources to prevent genocide".

 

The General arrived in Kigali on Friday to participate in the commemoration which has attracted thousands of senior officials from around the world.