- Home
- Live Blog
- Breaking News
- Top Headlines
- Cities
- NE News
- Sentinel Media
- Sports
- Education
- Jobs
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: With an aim to help and support the displaced Bru people of Mizoram to get their rights, Bharat Hitraksha Abhiyan (BHA) raised placards in front of Guwahati Press club on Monday protesting that the Bru people are living a refugee life in their own country.
Where on one side, the government is adamant for repatriation by September 16, the Bru people are unwilling to settle down as per the government’s decision. Meanwhile, the government is adamant that if they fail to follow it, the government will discontinue their ration and grant.
Addressing the media on Monday, BHA chief executive Abhay jain said, “Despite being citizen of India, the Bru people of Mizoram also known as Reang and are living a refugee life since the past 22 years in hilly areas of Tripura. As they were forced to leave their native place due to extreme torture by the majority of people from the Christianity community. They are deprived of the most basic facilities like drinking water, electricity, hospital facility and education to opening bank accounts and making birth certificates. Moreover, due to lack of proper employment they have to migrate to Kerela, Karnataka and other states of South India. Besides these, even after the order by Supreme Court, they didn’t get the opportunity to work under MGNERGA. Now, as per the agreement signed between central government of India and State government of Mizoram, Tripura and leaders of refugees, the Bru people have to go where they lived earlier. As, there are no provisions that ensure secure settlement, the Bru people aren’t willing to settle down. Hence, they are asking for the autonomous district council to secure their lives. We will do our best to help them in getting their rights. Today, we will meet the Governor of Assam to discuss the matter as he is also the Governor of Mizoram.”
Meanwhile, BHA member Amarendra Bhardwaj said, “For the past 22 years the Bru people are only receiving Rs five and 600 gram rice per head on a daily basis. In case of children, it becomes half. Hence, the children get only Rs 2.50 and 300 gram rice. At present, there are a total of 6500 families and they are frightened to go back to Mizoram and settle down, as they have the fear of being tortured and harassed again to an acute level. So, they urged the government to allot 13 places where they can live in a cluster, each cluster containing 500 families. As they have suffered discriminated and failed to secure a job, they have no choice but to demand for an autonomous council.”