Statement [on the Item Entitled "the Situation Concerning Rwanda"]

S/PRST/1994/42View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, under agenda item 90 The situation concerning Rwanda, published in 1994.

What subjects does this mandate have?

9 subjects

Displaced Persons Humanitarian Assistance Negotiation Peacekeeping Operations Political Conditions Rwanda Rwanda Situation Rwandan Refugees War Propaganda

What’s in this document?

12 paragraphs

At the 3414th meeting of the Security Council, held on 10 August 1994, in connection with the Council's consideration of the item entitled "The situation concerning Rwanda", the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:

"The Security Council remains extremely concerned at the situation, as described in the report of the Secretary-General on Rwanda (S/1994/924) and oral briefings by the Secretariat, in Rwanda and in the countries of the region where millions of displaced persons and refugees are concentrated in extremely precarious conditions from the standpoint of both food and sanitation.

Bearing in mind the extreme seriousness of this situation, the Security Council considers that at present the most immediate task is to respond to the massive humanitarian crisis created by the population movements. To this end, the Council expresses its appreciation to all Member States, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and individuals who responded to this humanitarian challenge and encourages them to continue and intensify their efforts, in particular in Rwandan territory with a view to alleviating to the best of their ability the situation of all those who have fled from their homes and villages.

The Security Council believes, furthermore, that the rapid return of the refugees and displaced persons to their homes is essential for the normalization of the situation in Rwanda. In this regard, the Council strongly condemns attempts to intimidate refugees carried out by those who are seeking to prevent them from returning to Rwanda. It urges the former leadership of Rwanda and those who have assumed political responsibility in the refugee camps to cooperate with representatives of the current Government in reconciliation and repatriation efforts and cease forthwith attempts and propaganda campaigns directed at destabilizing the situation in Rwanda and inducing refugees to stay in exile.

The Security Council, moreover, welcomes the declared readiness of the new Government of Rwanda to encourage the return of the refugees and displaced persons, ensure their protection and their legal rights and allow aid to reach those who require it anywhere in the country. It considers

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that the new Government of Rwanda is responsible for the rapid implementation of these commitments, which are essential for speeding up the return of refugees to Rwanda.

The Security Council also calls upon the Government of Rwanda to ensure that there are no reprisals against those who wish to return to their homes and resume their occupations. To this end, the Council encourages the Government of Rwanda to cooperate with the United Nations, in particular with the Commission of Experts established by the Council in its resolution 935 (1994), in ensuring that those guilty of the atrocities committed in Rwanda, in particular the crime of genocide are brought to justice through an appropriate mechanism or mechanisms which will ensure fair and impartial trials in accordance with international standards of justice. In this connection, the Council welcomes the recent statement by the new Government of Rwanda supporting the establishment of an international tribunal and welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 26 July 1994 (S/1994/879) on the establishment of the Commission of Experts and the appointment of its members (S/1994/906), and urges the Commission to submit its conclusions as soon as possible.

The Security Council welcomes the Secretary-General's intention to adapt the practical tasks of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) to the evolving situation within the framework of Security Council resolution 925 (1994). The Council underlines that the full deployment of UNAMIR will be important to establish a more secure environment in order to accelerate the process of return of refugees and displaced persons and to prevent further population movements, in particular from the secure humanitarian area, which might exacerbate the situation in neighbouring countries. For this reason, it is essential that the contingents that are to be part of UNAMIR are deployed without further delay and that the technical assistance that they require for this purpose is provided to them as soon as possible.

The Security Council also notes the importance of the deployment in Rwandan territory of civilian observers responsible for monitoring the establishment of a more secure environment, and in this regard welcomes the measures envisaged by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, within his mandate, with the assistance of certain Member States.

The Security Council reaffirms, as the Secretary-General emphasizes in his report of 3 August 1994 (S/1994/924), that the Arusha Peace Agreement constitutes an appropriate frame of reference for promoting national reconciliation in Rwanda. The Council reminds the Government of Rwanda of its responsibility for bringing its people together again in national reconciliation. In this context, the Council commends the countries neighbouring Rwanda and the Organization of African Unity for their commitment and assistance towards the solution of the conflict in Rwanda, and encourages them to continue to promote stability in the country and the entire region. The Council believes that, for their part, the neighbouring countries are also responsible for ensuring that their territories are not used for further destabilization of the situation."

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Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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