What did / didn't the UN do?
The UN was aware the Tutsis were being targeted for elimination by Hutu extremists. In 1992 peace talks open in the United Nations calling for action which was approved in 1993. As the UN began their peacekeeping mission in Rwanda they could only offer humanitarian aid. 5,500 troops were sent however with a chapter VI mandate. 5 days after the president’s plane had crashed a meeting was held between Frank Wisner (ambassador of foreign affairs) and Henry Kissinger which discussed the matters of Rwanda.
Unless both sides can be convinced to return to the peace process, a massive bloodbath will ensue…
(Wisner, 1994).
Frank Wisner then continues to state that the Security Council will probably take no action implying them to abandon these six safe zones. (Wisner, 1994). On the 14th day (April 21st), 112,000 people had died, and 90% votes in the Security Council favoured to withdraw most of the peacekeepers from Rwanda. They knew fighting and loss of civilian lives were occurring, yet only cared about the well-being of the troops.