Arshaluys Tcheknavorian-Aisenbauer’s ‘prescription’, this time, had two occasions to visit Armenia: to be awarded with “Movses Khorenatsi” award on October 10 by the RA presidential decree, and the other occasion was the school N5 after her father, Haykaz Tcheknavorian, which was built in Artashat under her sponsorship. We asked the woman living over 50 years in Austria to introduce the Australian-Armenian community, which was led by her son, Hayk Aisenbauer, for seven years. Arshaluys Tcheknavorian-Aisenbauer said that not only in Austria but also in the whole Diaspora, Armenians are not united, the national institutions are split and do not have friendly attitude towards each other. “Unfortunately, we do not believe in unity, we do not respect and love for one another, as soon as one makes achievements, a jealousy arises. Armenians are more united to diminish the person. Previously we did not have an independent country, and the activities of institutions established outside were understandable: Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, Henchakian Party, and so on and so forth.
And, now, what do these institutions serve for in Diaspora? The political groups must be consolidated, let’s look at the Europe, by uniting the thoughts, let’s make a good country, Armenia. What are the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, the Benevolent doing, are they polarizing in the Diaspora?” Our interlocutor thinks that at least the Genocide and its recognition should unite all Armenians. For example, she has lectured at Bratislava regarding this matter. Working 40 years in the United Nations, being in 170 countries, she has accumulated rich experience. She says that she has studied the UN Genocide Convention, and tried to understand how it can be served for the issue of Genocide. According to Ms. Tcheknavorian-Aisenbauer, Armenians while raising this issue should emphasize the idea that they wanted to annihilate, eliminate Armenians, and more. “We, Armenian, are very wrong that we think that the genocide is over and it has happened in 1915-1918. The genocide is going on, at that time we were exposed to red genocide, now – white. Once the Turks, cooperating with the Bolsheviks, demanded Nakhichevan and Karabakh, they, being affected by Masons, consider us a reason on the way to recover pan-Turkic Empire.” Ms. Arshaluys mentioned that her son has brought evidences in his scientific thesis that Russia had no right to hand over Karabakh and Nakhichevan to Azerbaijan, because there was no such Article in the Constitution, which does not give us the right to donate others lands to someone else. Our interlocutor said that we need to present our issue in a foreign country in a competent form, relevant to people’s psychology and traditions. “I am living in Austria for 50 years, my husband is an Austrian, Ervin Aisenbauer who has turned to Armenia and speaks Armenian, but I can not speak about genocide, like my son, Haik Aisenbauer. When he was the Chairman of the Armenian community, on April 24, he was inviting the Austrian government leaders, senior officials, and shows a film about the genocide. Once, after all of this, he stood up and in fluent German said that it is a shame that Austria has not recognized the Armenian Genocide so far. If I were to say, the Austrian would say, who are you? While he is Aisenbauer, he speaks better German than they do. I saw how Austrians applauded, and then they surrounded him. And, so, every year. He is trained in Germany, every year he sends the film “Disaster” in German to the diplomats, members of Parliament. Famous German people speak there about the genocide, the Armenians do not talk, it sounds from their mouths. The new president of the Armenian community also does it, and this action has provided a great response in Austria and Germany.” Arshaluys Tcheknavorian-Aisenbauer thinks that we should not emphasize that in 1915, we had 1.5 million victims. “Our massacres started since 1850’s. If we want to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we need to emphasize that it had been earlier. To the point, the Turks decided to celebrate a holiday in 2015 to cast a shadow on events of our 100th anniversary. They even want to invite government representatives of various countries. If we are smart, in 2015, we would present to the whole world with our intellect, we will show the Turks that they had not broke, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2016 with great splendor”. Ms. Arshaluys suggests her solution of Genocide recognition. She says that the issue should be moved from the field of feelings to the field of common sense, and to raise the issue of Genocide through the aliens. “Let a square be built in Yerevan, where all foreigners who spoke about the genocide will be presented there. Let the streets be renamed, for example, a German public figure, clergyman Johannes Lepsius, Raphael Lemkin, who introduced the term genocide into circulation, the 28th President of the U.S. Woodrow Wilson, Henry Morgenthau, who condemned the Armenian Genocide. Moreover, it would be better that representatives from the U.S. Government are invited for the opening of Wilson Street, from Germany – for Lepsius Street, even Merkel will come, she is a protestant woman. Let you invite rep from Israel to open Lemikin Street, it will be a slap to Turkey and to those denying the Genocide, and it is a good option to voice about the Genocide. Or in 1913-14 period, the Catholic Church has repeatedly sent a letter to Ottoman government to let the Armenians alone. Maybe you will find out who the Pope was at that time, and invite the Pope of Rome to open such a street. Otherwise, when we say that we were massacred, is very little.” According to formulation of our interlocutor, there are numerous sues in the European Court of Human Rights against Turks, and it would be better to hire well-known Jewish lawyers to present our trial over there. “All Armenians should be united and set up a Foundation, every Armenian will make certain contribution, and those well-known non-Armenian lawyers will introduce the issue of Genocide. If we prepare an appropriate file with the worldwide attorneys, the Turks definitely will sit at the negotiation table.”
Gohar Hakobyan
“Aravot” daily
