"Screamers" screened in Bern

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.