Find here all the rare interviews of the geneveMonde.ch editorial staff, the collaborative platform on the history of international Geneva, and the exceptional documents coming from the archives of the international organizations based in Geneva and digitized by us, the audio contents of the geneveMonde.ch thematic files as well as our various Sounds of History podcasts The interviews and podcasts are produced by the historian Véronique Stenger and the journalist David Glaser.
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Retrouvez ici tous les entretiens rares de la rédaction de geneveMonde.ch, la plateforme collaborative sur l'histoire de la Genève internationale, et les documents exceptionnels venus des archives des organisations internationales installées à Genève et numérisées par nos soins, les contenus audio des dossiers thématiques de geneveMonde.ch ainsi que nos différents podcasts Sounds of History/Sons d'Histoire. Les entretiens et les podcasts sont produits par l'historienne Véronique Stenger et le journaliste David Glaser.
Copyright FONSART 2023
Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.
Find here all the rare interviews of the geneveMonde.ch editorial staff, the collaborative platform on the history of international Geneva, and the exceptional documents coming from the archives of the international organizations based in Geneva and digitized by us, the audio contents of the geneveMonde.ch thematic files as well as our various Sounds of History podcasts The interviews and podcasts are produced by the historian Véronique Stenger and the journalist David Glaser.
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Retrouvez ici tous les entretiens rares de la rédaction de geneveMonde.ch, la plateforme collaborative sur l'histoire de la Genève internationale, et les documents exceptionnels venus des archives des organisations internationales installées à Genève et numérisées par nos soins, les contenus audio des dossiers thématiques de geneveMonde.ch ainsi que nos différents podcasts Sounds of History/Sons d'Histoire. Les entretiens et les podcasts sont produits par l'historienne Véronique Stenger et le journaliste David Glaser.
Copyright FONSART 2023
Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.
In this 4th episode, we examine peacekeeping missions that unfolded in extreme conditions, aiming to protect civilians and advance political solutions - and the moments when they failed to do so.
Srebrenica, 1995 - A “Safe Zone” Lost
During the Srebrenica genocide, UN peacekeepers from Dutchbat were unable to prevent the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniaks by Bosnian Serb forces, despite the town’s designation as a UN “safe zone.” The failure stemmed from limited mandates, insufficient troops, and political constraints imposed by the UN Security Council.
League of Nations, 1939 - Finland Abandoned
This was not the first time an international organisation proved powerless. In 1939, the League of Nations expelled the Soviet Union after its invasion of Finland in the Winter War - a rare sanction against a major power. The move underscored the League’s inability to enforce collective security as the world edged toward World War II.
Rwanda, 1994 & Somalia, 1993 - The Human Cost of Weak Mandates
Other UN failures include the Rwandan genocide, where a drastically reduced mission could not stop the killing of around 800,000 people, and the Battle of Mogadishu, which revealed the vulnerability of peacekeepers in complex civil wars.
The Recurring Challenge
These episodes point to a persistent truth: peacekeeping success depends on the political will of powerful states, clear rules of engagement, and adequate resources. Without them, even well-intentioned missions can collapse, leaving civilians unprotected and undermining trust in international governance.
Interview by David Glaser
Photo © United Nations Photo Library
Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.
