UNAMIR II - Australian Medical Support Force to Rwanda - Personal/Sub-Unit diary [ASC I COs diary LT Col P McIntosh] 25 Jul 1994 to 16 Dec 1994 - Part 7

115

Monday 31 October 

[*Folio 141*] 

The sitrep for the period 302200 to 

312200 is at Folio 141.
[*Folio 142*] 

The weekly strep for the period 

24 - 30 Oct is at Folio 142

At the FC Prayers I experienced 

concern at UNAMIR HQ’s unwillingness 

to respond to the threat to mist on Saturday 

evening. I quote the resolution that 

clearly states that UNAMIR will provide 

[*Folio 143*] 

protection to NGOs (See Folio 143). The 

FC and COO stated that their inactivity

was a mistake and that the RRF 

would be activated in future.

I also described the security 

incidents that had occurred over the 

weekend, in particular an incident that 

involved two of our vehicles returning 

from Kinigi to see the gorillas. They 

were stopped on the road by locals 

near a village and claimed that 

three of their village had been 

killed and demanded to know

what UNAMIR was doing about it. 

When released, they reported the matter 

to Tunisia Pon who knew of the 

deaths but had done nothing to 

investigate them. I told the FC that 

the locals were frustrated by our 

unwillingness to counter the bandits, 

militia and RPA who were killing 
and stealing at will. The FC for 

the first time then briefed the 

group and said that we had 

done nothing but compromise and 

that we would now do whatever was 

needed to bring security to the country, 

including the use of force.
 

116

I attended a Cos Conference with the 
FC where the FC emphasised to all that 

he required them to cove their whole 
sector and to patrol by day and 
night. He stated that we were the 
last tool of displomacy and that we 
will not be allowed to fail. It is 
always the military who are held 
accountable for their failure, but never 
the diplomats or the logisticians. 
I received approval today to pay the 
BOD team an unpredicted Explosives 
Allowance. I will pay them the annual 
rate.

COMASC and Col Wallace's team visited 
Butare and Kibeho today. I will link 
up with them for the helicopter recon 
tomorrow morning.

A significant incident occurred with the 
RPA tonight. The QRF were called out to assist 
a family who were reportedly being harassed 
by the RPA. The incident was reported by 
it a MILOBS who didn't have a map and 
could only give the suberb. The QRF deployed 
in an AP and was stoped by an 
 RPA road block. The Comd advised that 
they were reacting to an incident and 
would not be delayed. After wasting one 
minute the Commander, LT Jennings, 
ordered the vehicle to drive through the 
road block, a piece of string. He 
drove to the agree location where they 
were to meet the MILOBS but he didn't 
arrive. They then drove back to the 
main road where they were stopped by 
an RPA patrol. They disengaged from that 
on order and drove to another agreed 
location. Again, the MILOBS could not 
 

117

be located. The RDA followed the APC and 
blocked its route. I ordered the APC 
to depart but when they attempted to 
the RPA trained their weapons on the 
vehicle. I then ordered them to dismount 
and prepared themselves, which they did 
very effectively. Meanwhile, UNAMIR HQ 
were attempting to get the RPA LO to 
the scene. This was not successful. 
Eventually, the RPA commander, a 
major, agreed to let the RRF depart 
after about two hours. The reserve 

RRF had been deployed just short 
of the road block in readiness to 
assist in the event that a firefight 
ensued. The incident was announced 
to the media by the UNAMIR PR Officer 
and was reported widely in Australia. 
The soldiers and commander of the RRF 
performed very well. The UNAMIR procedures 
were found to be woefully lacking 
and a meeting was held on 
Tuesday 1 Nov to sort them out.
 

118

Tuesday 1 November