Wildlife attacks in Kerala, farmers feel abandoned
After elephants killed two people recently, the Archeparchy of Changanassery issued a circular emphasising how “daily life is becoming difficult”. Minorities are negatively impacted by exclusion from reservation policies as well as environmental and forestry legislation. A rally is scheduled for this Saturday. For Archeparch Thomas Tharayil, governments should promote the public good.
Thiruvananthapuram (AsiaNews) – The difficult coexistence between humans and wildlife is rekindling tensions in Kerala, with tribal farming communities complaining of a state of neglect.
A wild elephant reportedly killed a man named Manu, a 45-year-old tribal, on Monday evening with the news made public the next day in Noolpuzha, a village near Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad district.
This is the second incident of its kind in Kerala in two days. On Monday evening, the death of a woman in Idukki, a district in southwestern Kerala, was blamed to another wild elephant attack.
On the morning of 19 January, a wild elephant attacked a couple and a child, who were travelling on a motorbike on the Thirunelli Temple Road. Another family of three narrowly escaped injury in Wayanad after a wild elephant chased them.
All these incidents underscore the rising number of attacks by wild elephants in the state, raising fresh concerns.
At the same time, the central and state governments in Kerala have sidelined the Christian community for 74 years, especially Dalit Christians who are still excluded from reservation policies. Farmers, who are not all Catholic, have been neglected as well as.
“Daily life is becoming difficult due to threats posed by buffer zones, environmental laws, wildlife attacks, forest law stipulations and waqf legal actions,” the Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Changanassery said in a circular.
Archeparch Thomas Tharayil of Changanassery openly criticised successive administrations, for years of negligence.
“If public welfare is the goal, intervention by central and state governments is essential to make it possible," he says in the circular.
The prelate also noted the ineffectiveness of Judge Benjamin Koshy’s commission, set up to study the educational, social and economic backwardness of Christian minorities in Kerala.
Although the commission submitted its report to the government on 17 May 2023, the contents have not yet been made public.
On Saturday, the Archeparchy of Changanassery will lead a march to protest against the current situation, promoted by the Karshaka Raksha Nasrani Munnetra Kazhagam (Movement for the Protection of Nasrani Peasants).
In the same circular, Archeparch Thomas Tharayil calls on the faithful to take part in the event, sparking harsh criticism.
“Archbishop Thomas Tharayil of the Eparchy of Changanassery issued a circular. In both central and state budgets, farmers are being ignored,” said Fr Antony Vadakkekara VC Public Relations Officer, Syro-Malabar Church, speaking to AsiaNews. “There is no clear goal set by both for farmers,” he added.
In fact, farmers belong to all religions, not only to the Catholic Church, whether Syro-Malabar or Latin, and even to none. And they are now deprived of their rights, especially rice and rubber farmers.
“The Forest Act and the laws regarding the forest and the animals in the forest need to be amended to safeguard farmers and farmland,” Fr Vadakkekara explained.
What is more, for him, “Regarding educational institutions owned by private parties, they should be legitimately free to run and manage them.”
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