PanARMENIAN.Net

"Screamers" screened in Bern
21.09.2007 14:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On September 19, 2007, the Switzerland-Armenia
parliamentary group organized in Bern an extraordinary screening of
the documentary feature "Screamers", the story of prominent
heavy-metal rock group, System of a Down, as they strive to gain
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, putting the crime in a universal
context of a violation of human rights, independent French journalist
Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

The screening, at the Kino im Kunstmuseum of Bern, was held a month
before Switzerland’s federal elections to the Parliament, where the
current anti-racist law criminalizing Genocide denial is being
attacked by the SVP (Swiss People’s Party).

The screening was attended by prominent representatives of the Swiss
Parliament, representing the entire spectrum of Swiss politics.

In the opening speech, Ueli Leuenberger, Vice President of the
Ecological Party (Green Party) underlined the importance of having an
anti-racist law. "One thing is clear: whoever tries to trivialize
atrocities committed 90 years ago is practicing denial. The positions
of the Swiss National Council as well as the Vaud and Geneva Cantonal
Parliaments remind us of the historical truth. We will oppose, with
all the legal means we have at our disposal, every attempt to weaken
the anti-racism norm. The collective memory should be kept alive and
we all have to fight so that expressions like Never Again become a
reality,’ he said.

The screening was followed by a discussion with participation of
`Screamers’ director Carla Garapedian.