In recent times, the term or label “Rwandan” has been used to justify violence, exclusion, and political score-settling. We are witnessing a dangerous generalisation of this label, applied to anyone who disagrees with those in power or refuses to follow the government line. Worse still, any critical voice, especially if it is not aligned with the regime, is quickly branded as Rwandan.

On 12 November, we hosted our long-awaited event at VU Amsterdam on the theme The Legal Perspectives on Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War. Through a panel discussion followed by the screening of the film Muganga l’homme qui soigne, the audience was invited to confront one of the most devastating patterns of armed conflict where sexual violence is systematically used to terrorise and fracture entire communities.