Salesian Archbishop and the Nobel Prize

Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati is being spoken about as a candidate for the world renowned prize. He would be the second Salesian Bishop to receive this honor joining Bishop Belo of East Timor who was a recipient of the prize in 1996! The following comes from the Salesian News Agency:

In recent days the numbers of voices being raised for the candidature of the Salesian Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, for the Nobel Peace Prize has been increasing. Official confirmation of this comes from the spokesperson of the Indian Bishops’ Conference (CBCI), Fr Joseph Babu Karakombil, as quoted by the Fides Agency.
“It would be a fitting recognition of his commitment and dedication for over 25 years to the building of peace and harmony” “For decades Archbishop Menamparampil has worked tirelessly for peace, reconciliation and stability in north east India, a region marked by constant territorial conflicts and tribal warfare. His work is recognised by religious and civil leaders at local level and is known and appreciated throughout India and Asia. Peace and reconciliation, in the name of the Gospel, are the mission to which he has dedicated his whole life. For this reason the Indian Bishops support whole-heartedly his candidature for the Nobel Peace Prize.”

At present Archbishop Menamparampil is President of the Conference of Bishops of North East India and of the Commission for Education and Culture of the Indian Bishops’ Conference (CBCI). In addition he works at continental level and in the Federation of the Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) chairing the Commission for Evangelisation. His work is greatly appreciated by all the Bishops of the continent.

The idea of the candidature of Archbishop Menamparampil for the Nobel Peace Prize began from an article in the Italian “Bollettino Salesiano” which in the June issue devoted an article to him entitled “Un vescovo da Premio Nobel”.

There is no doubt about the commitment of the Archbishop of Guwahati to promoting peace in North East India where he has intervened directly in the solution of some conflicts between the Bodo and Adivasi (1996); between Kuki and Paite (1998); between Dimasa and Hmar (2003); between Karbi and Kuki (2003); between Dimasa and Karbi (2004); between Bodo and Muslim groups in Udalguri (2010); and between Rabha and Garo (2011).

His approach as Archbishop Menamparampil himself describes it is: “to let the Word of God find a place in the hearts and lives of the people and the communities which are in conflict. This is how peace flourishes.”