Why couldn't the leaders of Rwanda stop the genocide?

Answer 1

There were certainly many Rwandans who disagreed with what the Hutus did, and they wanted to oppose it, but it would have meant sacrificing their own lives in trying to stop a genocide which could not be stopped. People who think such a genocide would not be allowed in their own country should take a close look at the Rawandan massacres, and ask themselves what they would have done differently.

Answer 2

The reason that the UN did not do anything to help in the Rwandan genocide was twofold:

1. The peacekeepers that had already been deployed to Rwanda were given strict orders of non-engagement. This means that they were forbidden by law from attacking anyone (even a genocidal lunatic who was chopping hundreds of heads off a day) unless that person actually threatened the life of the peacekeepers. Peacekeepers were afraid of challenging these strict orders of non-engagement because the number of Hutu murderers would have easily overwhelmed them and as long as they maintained non-engagement the Huts would not touch them.
   
2. The various nations did not honestly care enough to put troops on the ground, which would have been necessary to stop it. The genocide only ended because the Rwandan Rebels in Uganda invaded the country and overthrew the genocidal leadership.
   

Answer 3

Because of UN protocols and bureaucracy. A Canadian general named Romeo Dalliare tried very hard to push the UN for action, but the UN decided to mostly stand back.

Answer 4

Many factors caused the inaction. For the Americans, they were apprehensive about the possibility of another Black Hawk Down situation following the Mogadishu fiasco.