Kigali, Rwanda
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan apologized this week for not preventing the genocide in Rwanda 10 years ago. Annan was head of U.N. peacekeeping in 1994 but could not persuade the Security Council to send extra troops while Hutu militias systematically slaughtered 800,000 Tutsis. “I believed that I was doing my best,” said Annan. “But I realized after the genocide that there was more that I could and should have done to sound the alarm and rally support.” Canadian Gen. Romeo Dallaire, who headed the small force in the country, pleaded for help during the 13 weeks of killing, to no avail. “I’m sure there would have been more reaction if someone had tried to exterminate Rwanda’s 300 mountain gorillas,” Dallaire said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The genetic secrets of South Korea's female free-diversUnder The Radar Unique physiology of 'real-life mermaid' haenyeo women could help treat chronic diseases
-
Democrats: How to rebuild a damaged brandFeature Trump's approval rating is sinking, but so is the Democratic brand
-
Unraveling autismFeature RFK Jr. has vowed to find the root cause of the 'autism epidemic' in months. Scientists have doubts.
