Wars occur, as they always will. They are predictable disasters that have predictable consequences for ordinary people who must navigate through the violence. They are so predictable that there are rules to follow. Ways to destroy life without too much suffering. At least, there were, perhaps. When enemies faced one another, they could be sure there were limits in place, but only if they had met before. When new wars happen between new enemies, there are no rules as there is no commonality for this. But the predictable suffering remains. Foremost of the rules of war is that children and civilians may not be included in the slaughter. Yet this rule is the most often disregarded, least of all when new enemies find one another. Someone needs to voice opposition, to break the featureless violence, to remind the enemies that they cannot proceed without rules. And they will need to speak in both languages or else nothing can be heard at all. Erga Omnes tells the story of child victims of an interspecies war who learn a new language in order to survive and protect others. It is the story of refugees who become arbiters of peace through their unique perspectives on the warring armies. It looks through their eyes to see loss and pain. It asks to you look at what collateral damage truly means when you cannot look away.
