Events

Killing the women, children and elderly of one’s enemy has always been a preferred strategy of war, going back to antiquity. Coventry, London, Dresden, Hiroshima – they remain etched onto our living memories. Thus, after World War II, enormous efforts were made to build institutions and to codify international law in order to protect future generations from the scourge of war, and to outlaw the targeting of civilians in conflict. Today, we witness the limits of these efforts: in conflict zones such as Myanmar, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria or Cameroon we see how repressive regimes, aided by external forces, wreak havoc. Civilians are the targets of vicious campaigns, combining murder, sexual violence, starvation, and forced displacement. What can be done?