UN and UNOMIR in Rewanda - Essay Example

Moreover, the machinations of war are extremely complex and what constitutes excessive force in one situation differs from another. The spectrum is so broad that therein also lays the problem of having a definitive framework for the crime of aggression, further compounded by the broad discretion of Article 39 of the Charter, enabling the UN to take necessary measures to restore international peace and security. In turn this has become central as a justification for UN peace building initiatives post armed conflict (Pritchard, 2001).

Furthermore, the complex nature of conflict and changing nature of warfare within the cotemporary international framework has raised questions as to which organ of the UN is most suitable for the process of restructuring post conflict (Zervaki, 2008). This also raises the issues of legitimacy of their presence in such territories, the implications of such operations for management of conflicts around the globe and military occupation. In the post Cold War international framework, there was an increasing amount of recommendations for the UN to become involved in peacekeeping, which has fuelled debate as to the legitimacy of their presence and efficacy of such peacekeeping measures.

A prime example is the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), which was intended to help enforce the Arusha Accords of 4 August 1993 and in turn facilitate the peace process between the Hutus and the Tutsis. However, the UNAMIR is well documented as having failed in its mission to maintain and restore peace in Rwanda. The UN and UNAMIR failure in Rwandan has perpetuated the debate regarding the legitimate boundaries and efficacy of the UN’s role in post conflict situations. With regard to the failure in Rwanda, this is exemplified by the controversial firsthand account of General Romeo Dallaire’s “Shake Hands with the Devil” (2003), which provides a graphic