By Matters India Reporter

Guwahati, 14 June 2023: Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, apostle of peace in northeastern India, has gone to Manipur twice where ethnic violence has raged since May 3.

“It is not easy to describe what I am doing. I have visited Manipur already twice, spending three days each. I have been to the Kuki areas of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, meeting with people in the relief camps. I have also been to the Meitei areas, meeting with their leaders,” the 87-year-old Salesian prelate told Matters India June 15.

He has met with senior persons in society, retired officers, ministers, intellectuals who have a moral authority over their community on both sides.

On June 5, the archbishop was signatory to an interfaith appeal for calm along with 18 religious leaders belonging to different religions and faith traditions.

Explaining how he conducts his peace mission the prelate says, “Largely I have concentrated on meeting senior persons in society, retired officers, ministers, intellectuals who have a moral authority over their community. I met religious leaders on both sides.”

A tangible sign of his mission bearing fruit was on June 5 when leaders met and called for peace.

The archbishop joined 18 leaders belonging to different religions and faith traditions to sign an interfaith appeal for calm, and end to the violence,.

Preparing for a third solo visit, the veteran peace broker says, “This effort has to continue.”

Speaking about the ground reality, he said, “At the present moment emotions run high as young men continue to wreak violence.”

Commenting on the scale of violence Archbishop Menamparampil says, “Armed young men make their decisions. It is hard for even the seniors to convince the young. Loss of lives has been higher than quoted.”

With a sigh he continues, “No easy solutions… Serious questions remain about the strategies of political leadership at the state and central level.”

Ethnic conflict between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and tribal Christians in Manipur has claimed some 100 lives and damaged hundreds of houses. Also torched were 142 villages, 400 plus churches, and 83 church institutions.

Currently, more than 40,000 people from different communities have found shelter in 272 relief camps, including community halls, in 13 districts of Manipur.

Archbishop Menamparampil has taken his peace mission to the ethnic hotspots of northeastern India for the past 40 years.