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Bru refugee crisis: Even after 18 years, Mizoram tribals hesitant to leave Tripura
TIWN
Bru refugee crisis: Even after 18 years, Mizoram tribals hesitant to leave Tripura
PHOTO : Mizoram tribals hesitant to leave Tripura. TIWN Pic Feb 8

AGARTALA, Feb 8 (TIWN): Since 18 years thousands of tribals who fled Mizoram following ethnic violence began living in seven camps in Tripura, and various initiatives were taken to help them to go back to their homes. Although with pressure from union and Tripura government, the Mizoram government decided to take back the tribal refugees in a phased manner but in the identification camp from previous year, hardly any bru refugee turned up for identification. The Reang tribals, who locally call themselves "Bru", have lived in makeshift camps in northern Tripura since October 1997 when they fled western Mizoram after the killing of a Mizo forest officer triggered ethnic violence. According to the reports, there are 5,286 tribal families comprising 31,223 men, women and children sheltered in seven camps made of bamboo and hemp in Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions under North Tripura district adjoining Mizoram. With a total population of around 1.1 million, Mizoram has 86,000 Reang tribals, according to the government of India's categorisation. Over two lakh Reang tribals also live in Tripura and other northeastern states.As part of rehabilitation package, centre has sanctioned Rs 7 crore as first instalment for resettling the Reang families said Vanlalmalsaw, adding each family will get Rs 85,000 other than free ration for one year.

Following ethnic tensions after killing of a Mizo forest official in Mizoram, over 41,000 Reang tribal refugees - locally called Bru - had taken shelter in six camps in north Tripura's Kanchanpur sub-division in October 1997.A total of 701 tribal families - comprising about 3,585 men, women and children - were sent back last year.

Mizoram' major NGOs and political parties, including the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA), in a memorandum to the Union Home Minister demanded that the 1995 electoral roll be the basis for determining bonafide residents of Mizoram from among the refugees lodged in Tripura camps. On the contrary, the Reang tribals strongly opposed the demand of considering 1995 as the cut-off year for the repatriation of refugees.

The old Bru families who had come in late nineties were provided ration as per the fixed categories. The fund is provided by the centre. But for the new migrants, who came here in 2009, the expenditure is borne by Tripura government. Their ration is only rice and salt and nothing else. They are indeed in a pathetic condition.

 

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