Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The unity of Christians bears abundant fruits of harmony and peace in the troubled area of Northeast India. This is what Agenzia Fides was told by Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati (State of Assam) in an interview on this Week for Christian Unity.
What is the situation in Northeast India? Why are there so many conflicts?
The region is fairly isolated from the rest of the country. It is also inhabited by many tribal communities and and groups of various cultures and traditions. The territory is formed by great fertile plains and mountainous areas. A large portion of the population has great difficulty in access to education. The democratic political structure itself is fairly recent and does not have traditional roots. Thus, there is the problem of representing the various social components. The various interests lead to conflicts. In addition, there is the added complication of the extremist groups that wish to secede.
How do the Christians live in this situation?
The Christians are giving a great example of peacemakers, especially thanks to their unity of intention and strong communion among the various Churches. The Christians have developed an ethic of dialogue, based on human and Christian values. First of all, they bear witness to the value of respect and welcome, which are present in the tribal cultures. The Gospel values are then inserted into this setting. We try to build on those values already found in their culture, but inspired by the Gospel. With this method of working, many inter-tribal conflicts have been resolved and peace has been established among the various communities.
How is this work carried out on a practical level?
The Christians have formed a “Joint Peace Committee,” an ecumenical group with representatives who are Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and of other denominations. Here, we are working together for justice and peace. The Churches offer a testimony of unity and friendship. Thus, the faithful become builders of peace and our work bears abundant fruits of harmony and reconciliation. As is evident during this Week for Christian Unity, praying together is the source of our strength.
What is your approach to working for peace?
Our approach and our method for bringing about peace is recognizing others rights, before claiming one's own rights. This way of seeing things leads to dialogue and helps to build the basis of esteem and friendship that precede peace. We believe that it is a model based on the Gospel. This is why it workd. When there are two groups or communities in conflict, we tell each one to first recognize the rights of the other and then their own. If we applied this to conflicts in other parts of India and the world, many tensions would be relieved and conflicts resolved.
Is it possible to evangelize in the Northeast?
Yes. The mission is going well. We help many tribal communities understand that many Christian values are already present in their culture. On this ground, it is easy to evangelize, announce Christ's presence. Their ears and hearts are very open and willing to receive the “Good News.” The Catholic Church is appreciated in all it does, for its work in peace-keeping, for aid in development, for education and charity, for its closeness to the various communities. Thus, we continue building up credibility and the people are grateful for all we do.
How do you view the region's future?
I am an optimist in the future of Northeastern India, because there are many working for its good. An important sign of hope has been the establishment of the Catholic University of Guwahati (see Fides 19/12/2008), the first in all India. Our hope is very much placed in our future generations, who will be able to offer a bit of newness and a new vision on the social reality, building the future on the basis of dialogue, respect, and peaceful coexistence. Many Catholic religious congregations are working to educate the youth and this is very important in the region's future. I see a new face for the future of Northeastern India, not only in terms of tensions and conflicts, but in terms of development, education, and peaceful coexistence.
As a person committed to peace, how do you view the violence of Hindu extremist groups against Christians, in other Indian states?
I think that the small groups of Hindu extremists – such as those who have committed the recent acts of anti-Christian violence – are bound to exist. Our task, therefore, is to win the confidence and support of the other Hindu leaders and faithful, who are the vast majority in the country. This is the key to ending the violence: let the authentic Hindu believers themselves be the ones to marginalize the extremists. The true Hindus are moderate and balanced and reject violence. We should establish relationship with them. They are working for a country that is open, tolerant, and democratic. Also, recent regional elections have led to the penalization of several radical groups, which confirms this conviction. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 20/1/2009)
