Msgr. Menamparampil: Dialogue always possible, even with Maoists
A US research reports 791 attacks in India in 2015. 43% by the Naxalite insurgency, associated with the Maoists: they are fourth in the world rankings for violence. The other major terrorist groups are the Islamic State (931), Boko Haram (491) and the Taliban (1093). The apostolic administrator of Jowai speaks of rebels motivations and the path to overcoming the difficulties.
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - The Communist Party of India (Maoist), banned by the authorities of Delhi, is the fourth worst terrorist group in the world, after Boko Haram, the Islamic State and the Taliban. This was revealed by a study conducted by US researchers, which reveals that in 2015 there were 11,774 terrorist attacks around the world. India is ranked fourth among the countries most affected by the violence, after Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Msgr. Thomas Menamparampil, apostolic administrator of Jowai (in Meghalaya) and former Archbishop of Guwahati (Assam), stresses the "fundamental value of dialogue to restore peace."
The study was carried out by the US State Department National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. It reports that in India last year there were 791 attacks. 43% of these were carried out by the Naxalite guerrillas (Communists associated with the Maoists), which resulted in the deaths of 289 civilians. The Maoists are involved in other terrorist actions 343, in which 176 people were killed. The most affected states are Chhattisgarh (21% of the total), Manipur (12%), Jammu and Kashmir (11%) and Jharkhand (10%).
As for the other terrorist groups, research says that the Taliban were responsible for 1,093 attacks and a total of 4,512 victims; Islamic State extremists committed 931 attacks, which killed 6,050 people; Boko carried out 491 massacres, claimed the lives of 5,450 people.
Msgr. Menamparampil works in areas affected by communist guerrillas and for years has been silently working to bring harmony between the communities. Speaking to AsiaNews he pointed to the hard and constant work of those who work for peace, and in particular of the local Church members.
Commenting on the report, the bishop points out an important difference between the "so-called Maoists" (rebel groups) and other terrorist groups: "The Maoists in central India are not ideological, but are motivated by ethnic claims. Most of them belong to indigenous communities, often called tribal Adivasis. They believe that the natural resources of their areas are exploited by others and that they are marginalized by the new economic system. "
The apostolic administrator of Jowai explains: "Since the tribals have no influence on the political level, often some groups choose the path of violence to express their frustration. To carry on the fight, they extort money from foreigners and even the local populations ".
Msgr. Menamparampil also reports that "the authorities that demonstrate ability to understand their demands and sympathize with their cause are successful in finding forms of cooperation". "Dialogue is always possible - he concludes -. Until the rebels see their demands met with appropriate measures, these movements will never cease altogether. Anyway, the door of dialogue must always be open ".
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