Running discussion on SP, page-85027

The Peace treaty that has just been signed is a BIG DEAL.

It is not widely known that the Australian Army were involved as NATO Peace Keepers during the Rwandian Geniocide 30 years ago between the Hutu and Tutsi which resulted in more deaths of the innocent than the Holicost.

In the lead up to the Peace treaty being signed hostilities were paused to prevent Peace talks from breaking down.

NATO forces were instructed to only use lethal force as a last resort in defence of their own life or risk widespread fighting to recommence.

One Australian Section were stationed in a compound with civilians witnessed a crowd of refugees numbering in the thousands suddenly flee for their lives as members of the crowd pulled out machetes and started hacking down everyone in sight. Mostly women and children being dismembered whilst being unarmed.

The Australian Section ultimately followed orders and did not engage to protect the helpless and watched from a distance the slaughter. Though they were extremely ethically conflicted and thought very hard about disobeying Orders.

In the years following, many of those Australian soldiers that watched on took their own lives.

The Section commander knew that by engaging he risked the Peace talks braking down which would lead the death of thousands, he also their that engaging would have signed a death warrant for himself and his Section as well as for the civilians within the compound.

This was a dark day for the Australian Army, and hence is not spoken of often.

The hatred that these people have for each other is without end. They have lived through the dismemberment of family members and loved ones because of their race.

Many refugees fled to the DRC in the wake of this conflict.

The Peace treaty that has just been signed is a BIG DEAL.

If you have not seen it. I recommend watching the film Hotel Rwanda.