The Times Union (Albany, New York)
April 27, 2006 Thursday
3 EDITION

Rockers sound call to remember genocide

The rock band System of a Down is in Washington, D.C., this week,
urging a resolution condemning the mass killings of Armenians by the
Ottoman Empire, starting in 1915.

About 1.5 million people lost their lives.

The Grammy Award-winning band members, who are of Armenian descent,
say lawmakers could help avert future crimes against humanity by
approving such a congressional resolution.

They face an uphill political battle because the Turkish government
has long opposed such efforts. On Wednesday, the band’s lead singer,
Serj Tankian , and drummer, John Dolmayan , met with lawmakers on
Capitol Hill.

Tankian said he remains hopeful that Congress will finally recognize
the massacre of so many Armenians for history’s sake. “It was first
the Armenians, then the Jews,” he said. “There’s Rwanda. There’s
Darfur right now. Unless you recognize all genocides, then you make
it really hard for the intervention process.”