Only four Bru families head back to Mizoram

GUWAHATI: Reversing the all-out efforts made by the Mizoram government, only four of the 5,407 Bru families have returned to Mizoram since the final repatriation process began on August 25.

Under this given situation, terming the process of repatriation a ‘futile exercise’, the government of Mizoram as withdrew the officials sent to neighbouring Tripura to oversee the exercise.

Confirming the breakdown of the Mizoram government’s effort, State’s Additional Secretary for Home Lalbiakzama on Monday said that the officials who were deployed in the six Bru relief camps located at North Tripura district have already been returned.

Notably, the repatriation process was scheduled to continue for a month till September 25. However, out of no choice, the Mizoram government is regarding it a futile exercise in view of the mood at the relief camps, as of now. “We had to withdraw the officials as no Bru family returned since August 28," Lalbiakzama said.

As such, between August 25 and 27, only four refugee families returned out of 5,407 from the relief camps in Tripura. Thereafter, no Bru refugee showed any interest in heading back.

Though 32,876 Brus belonging to 5,407 families were identified as bona fide residents of Mizoram according to a survey conducted in November 2016, only 2,753 people belonging to 423 families expressed their willingness to return to Mizoram.

Earlier, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), an organization that has been fighting for the rights of the community, signed an agreement with the Government of India, Mizoram and Tripura in July to accept a repatriation package. In this tripartite agreement, it was stipulated that Rs 4 lakh for each repatriated Bru family would be deposited in the bank account of the head of the family and Rs 1.5 lakh doled out as housing assistance.

Moreover, the agreement further provisioned that each repatriated Bru family would also be given Rs 5,000 through Direct Benefits Transfer every month and free ration for two years.

However, a section of the refugees were not happy with the package offered to them and demanded more. On the other hand, Mizo Bru Displaced People's Coordination Committee (MBDPCC), another organization of the refugees in Tripura, sought central security after their repatriation.

Hence, reiterating this demand, the MBDPCC said, “The Brus fled Mizoram during ethnic clashes since 1997. We will now feel insecure on our return. We want central security, cluster villages and Area Development Council if we have to return."

Taking exception to this imbroglio, a senior official of the Ministry of Home Affairs had said the relief camps would be closed down by the first week of October and assistance allotted for the inmates to be discontinued forthwith.

Earlier, the Centre, in association with the governments of Mizoram and Tripura, was repatriating the displaced Brus in phases. Though several Bru families had returned to Mizoram over the years, many refused to leave Tripura citing security reasons and inadequate package.

Thousands of Bru refugees from Mizoram fled to Tripura during an ethnic violence in 1997. The clashes broke out after a forest official was killed by Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) militants.