Photo: System of a Down, YouTube
The System of a Down have reunited to release two new songs in support of the Armenians of Artsakh. The band, which has not released a new song or album since 2005, hopes to raise funds to help those harmed by the war in the region. The group is also asking fans to donate to the Armenia Fund that is also focused on helping those affected by the war, many of whom are now expected to become refugees.
The two songs are called 'Protect the Land' and 'Genocidal Humanoidz' and are available on bandcamp.
Several members of the band, including lead singer Serj Tankian, are Americans of Armenian origin and therefore the Artsakh conflict is something close to their hearts. The group has reformed even though that they had been driven apart previously amid rumours of creative differences.
Drummer John Dolmayan told Rolling Stone Magazine:
"What I would like [Trump] to do is protect the interests of the United States but, at the same, time protect the values of the United States and what we stand for. There’s injustice happening. We can’t just enter into conflict for monetary reasons. I get that we have to think of the interest for the [U.S.] going forward, but we have to walk the walk and talk the talk. Don’t be a hypocrite."
While bassist Shavo Odadjian added his outrage against Azerbaijani atrocities:
"This is gruesome shit that’s going on. There’s nothing humane about it. They’re not saying, ‘Oh, leave our lands. We’ll be so polite to help you leave.’ They’re massacring people and doing all sorts of cowardly, disgusting things. And that just touches all of us [in the band]."
Tankian then spoke of his own personal visits to Artsakh:
"It’s just beautiful countryside, and it’s just really sad seeing all of that destroyed right now and the people having to move. The people are just incredible there. They’re the old Armenians. They have been living on those lands since 500 B.C. They’re very strong and beautiful and funny. They don’t get scared, man. They’ve seen this before, but it’s really, really fucked up."
Artsakh is a region populated mostly by Christian ethnic Armenians, the region known officially as Nagorno-Karabakh, does however, sit within Azerbaijani territory. The ethnic Armenians have long claimed that they are subject to discrimination at the hands of the Azerbaijani state and seek to either have their own independent country or join with Armenia. The Azerbaijani army moved in to remove Armenian forces, that have been stationed in the region for years, seven weeks ago. Over 4,000 people died in the conflict and a peace treaty has now been signed.
Many in Armenia and Artsakh see the treaty as a surrender as it will see Armenian forces removed and replaced for 5 years by Russian peacekeepers. The Armenians of Artsakh now fear they will be ethnically cleansed after, or even before, the Russian peacekeepers leave.
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