Prospect of Reang refugees return to Mizoram brighten

A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, Sept 18: Prospect of repatriation of over 30,000 Reang refugees sheltered in six camps in North Tripura district became brighter as the refugee leaders expressed interest to visit the proposed sites in Mizoram where they will be rehabilitee after being repatriated.

Mizoram Bru (Reang) Displaced Peoples' Forum, the watershed organisation of the refugees expressed their willingness in a meeting held at isinghpara Kolasib and Lunglei districts of Mizoram where they are being proposed to be rehabilitated.

According to sources they have already conveyed their decision to the administration and requested to arrange vehicle and required security for them. Reaction of the government side is not yet known but presumably will respond positively.

The development is significant in view of the recent stand of the centre to stop relief and other materials to the refugees from November onwards if they refuse to repatriate.

The Reangs crossed over to Tripura in 1998 in the wake of a ethnic clash and since then are residing in six camps in the Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura bordering Mizoram.  Repeated meetings involving the Mizoram and Tripura government at the instance of the centre failed to break the deadlock as the refugees refused to return raising certain demands which the government found not teble.