'Addressing micro-eco issues can contain communal discords'

BANGALORE: Communal conflicts could be better addressed if the micro-economic and social dimensions of the problem were attended first rather than the religious aspect, Archbishop of Guwahati, Thomas Menamparampil, said here during a meeting of bishops.

The religious dimension in 'communal conflicts' was often small and the problem was more a manifestation of unresolved micro-economic, ethnic and cultural issues, the Archbishop, first Indian to be invited by the Pope to compose Good Friday prayers for the Vatican, said.

"When there are conflicts anywhere, if we attend to the social, economic, political, cultural and situation dimension first, the religious dimension will disappear more easily. Or at least it will become a minor issue," Menamparampil, who is also Chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India Commission for Education, said.

"Some communal forces take advantage of situations of conflict and turn them into religious ones. We ought to be careful," he said while urging communities to exercise prudence and discern the difference.

On ethnic strife, the Archbishop, said, "Until neighbouring communities learn to solve their differences through dialogue, problems will always arise". Menamparampil has been involved in mediation in past ethnic conflicts and recent Bodo-Muslim at Udalgiri.