NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS RWANDA MISSION PROVIDED ASSISTANCE BEYOND MANDATE
Press Release
NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS RWANDA MISSION PROVIDED ASSISTANCE BEYOND MANDATE
19960506 (Received from the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda.)With the departure of its last troops on 19 April, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) ended its two-and-a-half-year presence in Rwanda. The UNAMIR was not mandated to give direct aid to the country, but during the Mission's presence in Rwanda, UNAMIR's medical unit saved Rwandan lives, its engineers rebuilt bridges and repaired roads, it provided emergency air and ground transport and humanitarian assistance, and cleared hundreds of land-mines. The UNAMIR was established by the Security Council on 5 October 1993. Its mandate ended on 8 March 1996.
Initially, UNAMIR was created to help implement the Arusha Peace Agreement by assisting in the security of Kigali and monitoring the cease- fire agreement. It was to monitor the security situation leading up to elections; assist with mine-clearance; and assist in the coordination of humanitarian assistance activities in conjunction with relief operations. In April 1994, the mandate was adjusted so as that UNAMIR could act as intermediary between the warring Rwandan parties, assist in the resumption of humanitarian relief operations, and monitor developments. When the situation deteriorated further, the mandate was expanded to enable it to contribute to the security and protection of refugees and civilians at risk and to provide security for relief operations.
Its tasks were further adjusted, following the installation of the new Government, to underpin stability and security in the north-western and south- western regions; to stabilize and monitor the situation throughout the country as a means of encouraging the displaced population to return; to provide security and support for humanitarian assistance operations; and to promote national reconciliation. The UNAMIR was also asked to assist with the security of the International Tribunal for Rwanda and human rights officers, and to help establish and train an integrated national police force. In December 1995, UNAMIR's mandate was adjusted once more to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of refugees.
Throughout the period, UNAMIR assisted Rwanda beyond its mandate, mainly through its military technical and logistic units. It became actively
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involved in mine-clearance. More than 1,420 mines and other explosive devices were made safe throughout the country. Some 1,500 pieces of unexploded ordnance were cleared in the Kigali, Bymba and Gikongoro regions. The UNAMIR also conducted mine-awareness training in the communes.
The UNAMIR also provided urgent medical assistance, including surgical procedures. At full strength, its medical team treated na average of 1,600 Rwandans a day. It immunized 62,000 persons, conducted daily clinics, supplied medicine to dispensaries and assisted in training hospital and other medical staff.
In addition, UNAMIR helped boosts humanitarian assistance, supplying blankets, beds, jerry cans and buckets. It provided sheets, slippers, mosquito nets and other essentials, and made vehicles available for schools, orphanages and hospitals. The Transport and Logistic Unit regularly provided trucks to haul agricultural seed, farm implements and livestock, as well as construction material and fuel. It helped about 1 million refugees return to their homes, as well as relocating prisoners from overcrowded detention facilities. The UNAMIR transported the corpses of genocide victims -- some 3,000 on 22 March alone, when no other means of transportation was available, and continued the task after the expiration of the mandate.
Four major bridges in the country (Busoro, Nyamata, Masango and Gashara) were rebuilt by UNAMIR military engineers, who also repaired 10 smaller bridges damaged in the war. They repaired 13 roads and cleared and levelled the ground for a number of new ones in Nsinda, Gishari-Rwamagane and in the ARDEC commune development area. Other engineering services provided directly by UNAMIR included ground levelling at refugee transit camps and building sites, the repair of electrical, water and sanitation services, the laying of pipelines, and repairs to buildings and generators. Hospitals, schools, orphanages, municipal and prefecture buildings and the international airport were the main beneficiaries. In addition, UNAMIR provided generators to the King Faisal Hospital, the Kigali water treatment plant, the international airport, and to telephone transmitter sites, Rwandatel television and the Nyanza international telephone earth station.
Serious overcrowding in Rwandan prisons was alleviated with UNAMIR's assistance with the creation of new prison facilities and the extension and improvement of existing detention centres.
The UNAMIR also helped restore operations at Kigali international airport. In addition to the 700 KVA generator it installed, helicopter service was provided to inspect airport navigational transmitter sites. The UNAMIR Force Communications Unit assisted Rwandatel in the restoration of telephone service throughout the country and helped start up Radio Rwanda, supplying solar panels, rural telephone links, antennas, as well as repeaters and batteries, at a total cost of $82,000. UNAMIR helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were made available for essential travel by Rwandan leaders.
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