United Nations Security Council Resolution 872
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
872, adopted unanimously on October 5, 1993, after reaffirming resolutions 812
(1993) and 846
(1993) on the situation in Rwanda
and Resolution 868
(1993) on the security of United Nations operations, the Council stressed the need for an international force in the country and therefore established the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
(UNAMIR).
The signing of the Arusha Accords
was welcomed and for the efforts of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and Tanzania
in this respect. The conclusion of the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
that the full cooperation of the parties with one another is essential for the United Nations to carry out its mandate. In this regard, UNAMIR was established for a period of six months subject to the proviso that it will be extended beyond the initial ninety days upon a review by the Council as to whether progress had been made towards the implementation of the Arusha Accords. It then decided that UNAMIR should have the following mandate:
contribute to the security of Kigali
; monitor the ceasefire
which called for the establishment of cantonment
, assembly zones and the demarcation of the new demilitarised zone
; monitor the security situation during the final period of the transitional government's mandate in the lead up to elections; assist in demining
; investigate non-compliance with the Arusha Accords; monitor repatriation of Rwandan refugee
s and resettlement of displaced persons; assist in the co-ordination of humanitarian assistance
; investigate and report on incidents regarding the activities of the gendarmerie and police.
United Nations Observer Mission Uganda–Rwanda would be integrated into UNAMIR, and the Council further approved Boutros-Ghali's decision stating that the deployment and withdrawal of UNAMIR should be carried out in stages, and in this connection, that UNAMIR's mandate, if extended, would be expected to terminate following national elections and the installation of a new government in Rwanda, scheduled to occur by October 1995. The Secretary-General was authorised to deploy the first contingent of 2,548 troops to Kigali for an initial period of six months, allowing it to establish transitional institutions and implement other provisions of the Arusha Peace Agreement.
There he was also asked to report on the progress of UNAMIR and the requirements for its further scale and composition. It also asked him to keep the maximum strength of the mission as low as possible, for example, through a phased deployment, and planning cuts had to be considered. The Secretary-General's intention to appoint a Special Representative who would be leading the mission was welcomed. De Veiligheidsraad vroeg hem een akkoord over de status van de operatie te sluiten die binnen de 30 dagen moest ingaan. The Security Council asked him an agreement on the status of the transaction to close within the 30 days was to take effect.
Finally, the resolution called upon the parties to guarantee the safety of United Nations personnel and for Member States, specialised agencies and non-governmental organisations
to contribute economic, financial and humanitarian assistance for the people and to the democratisation of Rwanda.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
872, adopted unanimously on October 5, 1993, after reaffirming resolutions 812
United Nations Security Council Resolution 812
United Nations Security Council Resolution 812, adopted unanimously on March 12, 1993, after expressing its alarm at the humanitarian situation in Rwanda due to the ongoing civil war, in particular the number of refugees and displaced persons which posed an international threat to peace and...
(1993) and 846
United Nations Security Council Resolution 846
United Nations Security Council Resolution 846, adopted unanimously on June 22, 1993, after reaffirming Resolution 812 on the situation in Rwanda and noting a report by the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Council established the United Nations Observer Mission Uganda–Rwanda for an...
(1993) on the situation in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and Resolution 868
United Nations Security Council Resolution 846
United Nations Security Council Resolution 846, adopted unanimously on June 22, 1993, after reaffirming Resolution 812 on the situation in Rwanda and noting a report by the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Council established the United Nations Observer Mission Uganda–Rwanda for an...
(1993) on the security of United Nations operations, the Council stressed the need for an international force in the country and therefore established the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
The United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda was a mission instituted by the United Nations to aid the implementation of the Arusha Accords, signed August 4, 1993, which were meant to end the Rwandan Civil War. The mission lasted from October 1993 to March 1996...
(UNAMIR).
The signing of the Arusha Accords
Arusha Accords
The Arusha Accords were a set of five accords signed in Arusha, Tanzania on August 4, 1993, by the government of Rwanda and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front , under mediation, to end a three-year Rwandan Civil War...
was welcomed and for the efforts of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
in this respect. The conclusion of the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
that the full cooperation of the parties with one another is essential for the United Nations to carry out its mandate. In this regard, UNAMIR was established for a period of six months subject to the proviso that it will be extended beyond the initial ninety days upon a review by the Council as to whether progress had been made towards the implementation of the Arusha Accords. It then decided that UNAMIR should have the following mandate:
contribute to the security of Kigali
Kigali
Kigali, population 965,398 , is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of...
; monitor the ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
which called for the establishment of cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
, assembly zones and the demarcation of the new demilitarised zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
; monitor the security situation during the final period of the transitional government's mandate in the lead up to elections; assist in demining
Demining
Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish...
; investigate non-compliance with the Arusha Accords; monitor repatriation of Rwandan refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s and resettlement of displaced persons; assist in the co-ordination of humanitarian assistance
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
; investigate and report on incidents regarding the activities of the gendarmerie and police.
United Nations Observer Mission Uganda–Rwanda would be integrated into UNAMIR, and the Council further approved Boutros-Ghali's decision stating that the deployment and withdrawal of UNAMIR should be carried out in stages, and in this connection, that UNAMIR's mandate, if extended, would be expected to terminate following national elections and the installation of a new government in Rwanda, scheduled to occur by October 1995. The Secretary-General was authorised to deploy the first contingent of 2,548 troops to Kigali for an initial period of six months, allowing it to establish transitional institutions and implement other provisions of the Arusha Peace Agreement.
There he was also asked to report on the progress of UNAMIR and the requirements for its further scale and composition. It also asked him to keep the maximum strength of the mission as low as possible, for example, through a phased deployment, and planning cuts had to be considered. The Secretary-General's intention to appoint a Special Representative who would be leading the mission was welcomed. De Veiligheidsraad vroeg hem een akkoord over de status van de operatie te sluiten die binnen de 30 dagen moest ingaan. The Security Council asked him an agreement on the status of the transaction to close within the 30 days was to take effect.
Finally, the resolution called upon the parties to guarantee the safety of United Nations personnel and for Member States, specialised agencies and non-governmental organisations
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
to contribute economic, financial and humanitarian assistance for the people and to the democratisation of Rwanda.
See also
- History of RwandaHistory of RwandaHuman occupation of Rwanda is thought to have begun shortly after the last ice age. By the fifteenth century the inhabitants had organized into a number of kingdoms...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 801 to 900 (1993 – 1994)
- Rwandan Civil WarRwandan Civil WarThe Rwandan Civil War was a conflict within the Central African nation of Rwanda between the government of President Juvénal Habyarimana and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front...
- Rwandan GenocideRwandan GenocideThe Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...