Agartala: Repatriation of 37,000 Bru
refugees from Mizoram, sheltered in six camps in Kanchanpur
sub-division of Tripura for past 12 years, suffered a serious
setback following incidents of arson in border villages of the
neighbouring state in the wake of the gunning down of a Mizo
youth.
At least 2,000 people, belonging to Bru community have
taken shelter in the foothills of Jampui in the Kanchanpur
sub-division since Saturday last following ethnic violence in
Mamit and Kolashib districts, bordering Tripura.
In a related development, the Mizoram government today
announced a compensation of Rs 10,000 each for Bru families
who fled to neighbouring Tripura in the wake of the mob
violence.
With Rs 50 lakh having been allocated for the purpose,
each family would receive Rs 3,000 once they returned back
while the remaining amount would be disbursed for their
resettlement, an official spokesman said.
Making it clear that Mizoram must ensure the security
of the Brus, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People`s Forum (MBDPF),
the sole representative body of the refugees, however asserted
the community members, sheltered in the evacuee camps, would
not return on their own unless the safety aspect was ensured.
"We cannot and will not return to our own land unless
the government solves this problem in a democratic manner and
give us full guarantee of safety and security. We can not just
return to be butchered and our properties destroyed there,"
Secretary of the MBDPF said over phone from Kanchanpur.
The repatriation was scheduled to begin on November 14
as decided in the tripartite meeting in Aizawl on November 4
last.
The MBDPF demanded an inquiry into the incident and
arrest of the culprits. "Those, who are against repatriation,
must have been killed the mizo youth. Else, why the murder
should take place just before the day of begining of the
repatriation?", he asked.
The fresh violence erupted following gunning down of a
18-year old mizo youth on Friday last at bunghuma village by
suspected militants of Bru National Army (BNA).
The 37000 refugees, now sheltered in the evacuee camps
had tricled down to Tripura since 1997 following series of
ethnic clashes.
The Speaker of Mizoram assembly R Rawma arrived at
Bhangmun village in Kanchanpur sub-division, neighbouring
Mizoram, to assess the situation and is likely to stay there
till tomorrow.
The Mizoram Police estimated that more than 600 Brus
had fled Mizoram since last November 13 following the murder
of the youth Zarzikima of Mizoram-Tripura border
Bungthuamn village on that day by suspected Bru militants
The Mamit district administration have made
arrangements to deliver aid to victims of arson in different
villages of the district as more than 300 huts were razed in
the aftermath of the murder of a youth by suspected Bru
rebels.
While truckloads of relief materials including rice,
garments and utensils have been sent to Mamit district, the
three major churches have donated Rs 3.7 lakh to the State
Level Relief Co-ordination Committee headed by Secretary of
the Disaster Management and Relief department.
The Mizoram Presbyterian Church has donated Rs two
lakh and clothes while the Baptist Church of Mizoram and the
Catholic Church Aizawl Diocese donated Rs one lakh and Rs
70,000 respectively, an official statement said.
Bureau Report
