This is General Henry Kwame Anyidoho (born 13 July 1940). He was a Ghanaian military officer. Twenty-Seven (27) years ago, he led Ghana’s contingent in UN Peacekeeping Mission in Rwanda in 1994 during the genocide.
General Anyidoho led Ghana’s military to serve in UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda) under Canadian General Roméo Dallaire. Anyidoho, who had experience in peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Cambodia, and Liberia, served as the Deputy Commander of UNAMIR, in addition to his role as head of the Ghanaian contingent.
In recorded accounts by the former Commander of UNAMIR General Dallaire, in his book “Shake Hands With the Devil”, General Anyidoho and his Ghanaian contingent were singled out for praise for their courage and resourcefulness.
They were given credit for sheltering thousands of Tutsis and Hutu moderates, saving them from death. When the Belgian government decided to withdraw their peacekeeping contingent, the UN Security Council instructed Dallaire to prepare to withdraw UNAMIR.
Dallaire sought advice from General Anyidoho, who indicated to him that he and his Ghanaian troops would not leave. Ghana contingents stayed, against UN orders and protected Rwandans.
Credit New Africa
