Guide Note

Romeo Dallaire is a Canadian senator and retired general. He is best known for his work as the commander of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Rwanda between 1993 and 1994. During the Rwandan Genocide Dallaire led his force, which was often outnumbered and outgunned, to positions were they could intercept Hutu forces on their way to Tutsi hiding places. Despite an initial lack of support from the United Nations, particularly the UN Security Council, he managed to save an estimated 20,000 Tutsis and opposition Hutus during the genocide.

Following his work in Rwanda, Dellaire returned to Canada. As time passed he came to blame himself for the failures of the mission. He developed severe depression that culminated in a necessary hospitalization after he was found under a park bench in Ottawa, suffering from a combination of anti-depressant medication and alcohol. Following this incident, Dallaire began lecturing and writing about his experiences in Rwanda, eventually writing the book Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, which was published in 2003.

Fast Facts

1. Born: June 25, 1946
2. Birthplace: Denekamp, Netherlands
3. March 25, 2005: Appointed senator in Canada
4. 1993-1994: Led the United Nations peacekeeping force in Rwanda
5. Credited with saving 20,000 people during the Rwandan Genocide
6. Chronicled his experiences in the book Shake Hands with the Devil, published in 2003