<P> The United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 872 on 5 October 1993 . It was intended to assist in the implementation of the Arusha Accords, signed on 4 August 1993, which was meant to end the Rwandan Civil War . The mission lasted from October 1993 to March 1996 . Its activities were meant to aid the peace process between the Hutu - dominated Rwandese government and the Tutsi - dominated rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The UNAMIR has received much attention for its role in failing, due to the limitations of its rules of engagement, to prevent the Rwandan Genocide and outbreak of fighting . Its mandate extended past the RPF overthrow of the government and into the Great Lakes refugee crisis . The mission is thus regarded as a major failure . </P> <P> In October 1990 the Rwandan Civil War began when the Rwandan Patriotic Front rebel group invaded across Uganda's southern border into northern Rwanda . The RPF was composed of over 4000 soldiers, most the sons of Tutsi refugees who had fled ethnic purges in Rwanda between 1959 and 1963 . It portrayed itself as a democratic, multi-ethnic movement and demanded an end to ethnic discrimination, to economic looting of the country by government elites and a stop to the security situation that continued to generate refugees . It was supported by the Ugandan government of Yoweri Museveni, who had come to power in the Ugandan Bush War with significant support from the Rwandan refugees in the country . However, the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) was saved by reinforcements from France and Zaire, who backed the government of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, who had been in power since 1973 . </P> <P> The French intervention of two parachute companies, explained as an attempt to protect its own nationals, actually blocked the RPF advance on the capital Kigali . In contrast, the government of Belgium, the former colonial power, cut all support to the Habyarimana regime, which viewed the action as abandonment . Thwarted by the French, the RPF suffered a humiliating retreat back into the Virunga Mountains along the border . After the demoralizing death of Major - General Fred Rwigyema, the collapse of the RPF was prevented through the leadership of Paul Kagame . </P> <P> The RPF thus managed to retain control of a sliver of land in the north, from which it continued to launch raids . Comparing the RPF and FAR as he saw them in 1993, Canadian Lieutenant - General Roméo Dallaire noted that the rebels "had won all recent contests because of their superior leadership, training, experience, frugality, mobility . Discipline and morale ." </P>

What was the role of the un in the rwandan genocide