Passiveness and complicity: How the international community facilitated Genocide

French soldiers in Rwanda, ten days after the start of Operation Turquoise. © HOCINE ZAOURAR ARCHIVES. AFP.

In Bisesero, French troops abandoned the Tutsi, who had mounted a resistance. This act symbolizes the international community’s failure to prevent the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, highlighting its significant responsibility in both the preparation and execution of these atrocities.

The genocide against the Tutsi represents a profound failure of the international community. It reveals how fragile the global solidarity against the forces of evil—so highly praised since the end of the Second World War and the Holocaust—had become. Had the international community, represented by the United Nations, intervened in Rwanda with its 2,500 peacekeeping forces, the genocide might not have reached the scale it did. The role of the international community can be analyzed on two levels: passiveness and complicity.

The international community bears heavy responsibility for refusing to intervene in Rwanda, despite clear warnings about the planned genocide. From December 1993, United Nations forces and officials had sufficient information about preparations to exterminate the Tutsi. The UN was aware of the excessive proliferation of light arms among the population, accelerated military training of young Rwandans, and the explicit readiness to commit genocide at any cost.

As an organization tasked with preserving world peace and security, the UN was obligated to act promptly. The escalation of identity-based tensions, increasing acts of violence due to widespread distribution of firearms, and the propagation of hatred against the Tutsi were clear violations of the principles underpinning international peace and security. By failing to intervene, despite having both the authority and capacity to deploy sufficient troops, the UN effectively facilitated the preparation of these massacres.

The preparations for the killings occurred close to UN peacekeeping forces. General Romeo Dallaire, the commander of UNAMIR, reported deteriorating conditions to his superiors, but he was instructed to adhere strictly to the limits of his mandate. Despite evident signs of imminent violence, France continued operating in Rwanda with a limited presence, reflecting a broader pattern in its policy toward the country. French diplomats and military officials had discussed the risk of genocide as early as 1990, and the former French Ambassador, George Martres, confirmed that the 1994 genocide had been anticipated by October 1993.

The second aspect of the international community’s role lies in its inaction during the killings. Neither the UN nor foreign powers present in Rwanda can claim surprise at the genocide. The 2,534 UN peacekeepers and various diplomats who remained in Rwanda before April 6, 1994, became, through their indifference, accomplices in the massacres. Instead of deploying UNAMIR forces to halt the killings, the UN prioritized the safety of its troops over the protection of civilians. On April 21, 1994, the Security Council withdrew most peacekeeping forces, leaving only a few hundred personnel to safeguard civilians already under severe threat.

The international community further contributed to complicity by refusing to label the atrocities as genocide, instead using euphemistic terms such as “massive killings,” “bloody tribal wars,” or “civil war.” The UN’s decisions were not due to a lack of information; General Dallaire regularly updated the UN Secretary-General and proposed measures to stop the massacres and restore public order. Specifically, he requested reinforcement and a modification of UNAMIR’s mandate. By remaining passive and reducing UNAMIR’s presence, the UN effectively facilitated the perpetrators’ actions.

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(c) 2026, The New Times

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