Mar Thattil raises man-animal conflicts in Palm Sunday sermon

KOZHIKODE: Syro-Malabar Church's major archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil raised the simmering man-animal conflict issue in state during his Palm Sunday sermon at Holy Cross Major Archiepiscopal Church at Nadavayal in Wayanad.
Addressing believers, he said that on seeing certain policies there are misconceptions in the minds of people that wild animals are given more importance than humans and this could raise a question- is the value of human beings getting diminished.
The crises faced by the people of Wayanad is at the forefront of my mind and Syro-Malabar Church would like to tell the people that it is taking up the sorrows of the families who have lost their dear ones in wild animal attacks as part of the liturgies during the holy week.
The archbishop said that all lives which have been lost in human- wildlife conflict were precious and the sorrows created by their loss unexplainable. He said that there should be steps on the part of the state govt and on the part of social organizations to find solutions to the calamity and sorrows faced by the people due to these man-animal conflicts. "Beyond all that we need with us the strong protection of God," he said.
Thattil said that he was saddened on seeing the misrepresentation of settlers as plunderers. He said that two districts in the state - Wayanad and Idukki- have been built by the tears and hard work of settlers.
"The settlers from Travancore had come in search of soil with the help of their kings and the govt who ruled then, when their livelihoods faced a crisis. They are not plunderers. I feel sad when settlers are being misrepresented as plunderers. The contributions made by the settlers in the growth of our land cannot be overlooked," he said.