"Shake Hands with the Devil - A Book Review

DALLAIRE, Lt. GEN ROMEO
BEARDSLEY, MJR. BRENT
RANDOM HOUSE CANADA 2003

This book is one I wished not to read but was compelled to.

Lt. Gen Romeo Dallaire, Canada’s Military leader was sent to Rwanda under UN mandate "UNAMIR", the UN Mission to Rwanda. The initial goal was to oversee that the ARUSHA peace accords were implemented. These accords were an agreement between the Rwandan government (RGF) and the Rebel Rwandan Peoples Front (RPF).

There never was any real interest from the Government in the Accords. Nothing of any good was happening, there were massacres unchecked and in early April of 1994 the plane carrying the Rwandan President Habyarimana, crashed, about then all else in Rwanda did as well. Mobs formed in Kigali, the Capital, and rampant bloodletting ensued.

Meanwhile Lt. Gen Dallaire pleaded ceaselessly with the UN for a mandate, equipment and support. This went on and on and on. The Lt. Gen was persistent and he discredits himself for not being able to persuade the powers that be. Dallaire knew all too well that the World’s powerful did not care about Rwanda. Why should they care? What advantage would it be to them, either militarily or economically? The answer short and sweet is na da.

Dallaire gives credit to the countries of Tunisia and Ghana for providing the only substantial force in Rwanda they were both courageous, faithful and disciplined. Their respective countries can be duly proud. Dallaire makes mention of a U.S. 250 man marine force who came in swiftly picked up all the US citizenry and left as quickly as they came.

This book is deeply disturbing. Lt. Gen Dalliare will never again be the man he was before Rwanda and I'm glad in a very selfish way he is not, because without his records, his book and his memories the world could go on as if nothing happened. Now the world knows and we are ashamed.

Are these people of less value than we? Is the world so large that we just can't be bothered? Is it conveniently far enough away? If those children they hung up alive, then methodically and slowly dismembered in front of their helpless loved ones were our own, the stench from their spilled blood would be exactly the same.

We need to ask some very sobering questions. While the UN cannot be asked to intervene in every World concern, aren't lives more important than barrels of oil or military opportunity? The UN had better get it right if anyone in the world is to think they are any good.

Peter Fuller