Mizoram agrees to take back all Bru refugees from Tripura

TNT News

AGARTALA: In the meeting held today with the State Government of Tripura and the Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum (MBPDF) at Damcherra Block Development Office in Tripura, the State Government of Mizoram agreed to take back all the Bru displaced persons residing in Tripura since 1997, putting aside the objections of many anti-Bru organisations in the State.

"The identification of the Brus will start from June 2 and repatriation will start from June 8 from Kachao camp followed Kackchangpara, Hamsapara camp etc. The State Government of Mizoram will provide the vehicles for transportation of the Brus. We welcome the decision of the State Government of Mizoram to take back all the Brus. After all these are their people and Tripura has been hosting them for over one and half decade." Nantu Ranjan Das, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Kanchanpur, Tripura told the Rights News Network after participating in the meeting.

The delegation of State Govt of Mizoram headed by Mamit Deputy Commissioner Vanlalngaihsaka assured the MBPDF and Tripura government that law and order is the responsibility of Mizoram, and safety and security of the returnee Brus including from the anti-social elements will be ensured.

"It is clear that Mizoram is finally complying with the directions of the Supreme Court of India. The assurance of taking drastic measures against anti-social elements who regularly attack the Brus is reassuring." – stated Sadhan Kusum, representative of AITPN which filed a petition before the Supreme Court of India for honourable repatriation of the Brus.

The Brus had fled Mizoram following communal attacks in October 1997 and it is for the first time, Mizoram agreed to take back all Brus, setting aside the opposition from a number of pressure groups in the State. There are over 30,000 Brus residing in seven relief camps in Tripura.