Final answer:
The Rwandan Genocide was sparked by historic ethnic divisions and was exacerbated by a power vacuum post-independence. The UN's role was limited during the genocide, with later efforts focusing on humanitarian aid and justice via an international tribunal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Rwandan Genocide was ignited by deep-seated ethnic tensions and a power vacuum following Rwanda's independence from Belgian rule in 1962. The Belgians, and previously the Germans during the colonial period, had exploited and exacerbated the ethnic divide between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority, a strategy that sowed seeds of discord. In April 1994, the years of brewing ethnic strife culminated when Hutu extremists launched a systematic campaign to exterminate the Tutsi population.
Resolution by the UN was minimal during the genocide. The international community, including the United States, largely stood aside, partly due to the recent failure in Somalia, which influenced President Clinton's reluctance to intervene. Ultimately, the genocide ended when Tutsi-led forces seized control of the government. The UN's role was mainly in the post-genocide efforts, focusing on humanitarian aid and the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to prosecute those responsible for the genocide.
Despite celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international response to the Rwandan Genocide highlighted a failure to prevent and stop the atrocity in time or promptly bring the perpetrators to justice.