As the humanitarian crisis worsens in the Nagorno-Karabagh amid ongoing tensions, System of a Down‘s Serj Tankian has drafted an open letter urging stronger intervention into the matter.
In an exclusive interview, the artist tells
SPIN that more than 120,000 people are without critical food and medical supplies due to Azerbaijan’s seven-month blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabagh to Armenia.
“The residents of Nagorno-Karabagh have since relied on humanitarian aid from Russian peacekeeping forces and the Red Cross,” reads the letter, which was also signed by musicians such as Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, Tom Morello, and Stewart Copeland as well as other notable entertainment industry figures. “ In February, the [United Nations’] top judiciary body, the ICJ [International Court of Justice], ordered Azerbaijan to ensure free movement on the road. Azerbaijan continues to ignore the ruling”.
“There’s no actions, and that’s the issue. Everyone has already condemned it, but no one is doing anything ”, he adds saying that he’s tried to reach USAID, which can deliver food by air.
“Most people read about Ukraine everyday in the press but don’t know that this is even happening,” Tankian says of the Nagorno-Karabagh crisis.
On the musical front, Tankian confirms he will release a “rock EP” next year and that he has some collaborations with as-yet-unnamed artists in the pipeline as well.
