The Attribution of Accountability after the Rwandan Genocide and the Srebrenica Massacre

Despite many warning signs, two of the deadliest genocides in modern history occurred right under the noses of the United Nations (UN). The Hutus in Rwanda killed approximately eight hundred thousand Tutsis and Hutu sympathisers in 1994. A year later, Bosnian Serb forces were attempting to gain territory in Bosnia, and attacked Srebrenica. After taking over the town, the forces executed roughly eight thousand Bosnian Muslim men and buried them in mass graves. UN peacekeepers had been stationed in Rwanda and Srebrenica at the time of most of the killings, but were unable and unwilling to get involved in the conflicts. The UN high command had opportunities to intervene and stop the executions that were taking place because of ethnic differences, but they failed to do so. The international community was also indirectly involved in the genocides, as their inaction made it easy for the perpetrators to continue on their bloody path. The Dutch state has recently been held accountable by...Show moreDespite many warning signs, two of the deadliest genocides in modern history occurred right under the noses of the United Nations (UN). The Hutus in Rwanda killed approximately eight hundred thousand Tutsis and Hutu sympathisers in 1994. A year later, Bosnian Serb forces were attempting to gain territory in Bosnia, and attacked Srebrenica. After taking over the town, the forces executed roughly eight thousand Bosnian Muslim men and buried them in mass graves. UN peacekeepers had been stationed in Rwanda and Srebrenica at the time of most of the killings, but were unable and unwilling to get involved in the conflicts. The UN high command had opportunities to intervene and stop the executions that were taking place because of ethnic differences, but they failed to do so. The international community was also indirectly involved in the genocides, as their inaction made it easy for the perpetrators to continue on their bloody path. The Dutch state has recently been held accountable by the Netherlands Court of Appeal for three hundred deaths that occurred during the Srebrenica massacre. However, no state has been taken to court by any plaintiffs for any of the deaths during the Rwandan genocide.Show less

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The Attribution of Accountability after the Rwandan Genocide and the Srebrenica Massacre