Team leaves to identify Bru refugees in Tripura camp

AIZAWL, NOVEMBER 1: A team of 30 officials led by Mizoram- Tripura border Mamit district Deputy Commissioner Lalbiaksangi today left for Kanhmun village on the banks of the Tripura border river Langkaih to undertake identification of bona fide residents of Mizoram in a Tripura relief camp from tomorrow. Lalbiaksangi told PTI over phone that the team, comprised of officials from Mamit and Kolasib district on Assam border, which would conduct the identification process in Kaskau relief camp. The identification process is the beginning of the proposed eighth phase physical repatriation of 3,445 Bru families lodged in the six relief camps in North Tripura district and scheduled to continue till November 21. As per the schedule of the Road Map-V for Bru Repatriation, the physical repatriation was to commence from November 30. As per the proposal, 2,594 repatriated families would be resettled in Mamit district while Assam bordered Kolasib district and south Mizoram’s Lunglei district would host 628 and 223 Bru families respectively. ‘Mizoram govt. will not concede to Bru demands’ Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana on Friday reiterated that the state government will not concede the demands of the Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) as a pre-condition for their repatriation. Addressing the ruling Congress party workers here, Lalzirliana said it would be impossible for the state government to allot at least five hectares of land to each repatriated Bru family. He said the power to allot land was not vested in the state government, but to the village councils and the repatriated Bru families also would have to wait for allocation of land for construction of houses and for jhumming in accordance with the guidelines of their respective village councils. “The Brus left Mizoram and migrated to Tripura on their will after committing grievous crimes including murders against the Mizo community,” he said adding, the Mizo people continued to welcome them with open arms even after such incidents. The MBDPF, during the meetings of the Joint Monitoring Group held in Agartala and Delhi recently, made 14 demands including allotment of at least five hectares of land to each Bru family. Meanwhile, the MBDPF leaders led by its Vice President R Laldawngliana today visited Mizoram-Assam border Kolasib district for an on the spot visit of the villages where the repatriated Brus were proposed to be repatriated. Of the 3,445 Bru families proposed to the repatriated, 628 families would be resettled in eight villages of Kolasib district – Bairabi, North Thinglian, Dilzau, Zodin, Meidum, Bukvannei, Pangbalkawn and South Chhimluang. According to the Road Map-V for Bru Repatriation prepared by the state government, the identification of bona fide residents of Mizoram in the six Bru relief camps in Tripura would commence from November 2, while the physical repatriation was scheduled to begin from November 30. The state government, however, might not be ready to begin the physical repatriation as per schedule as the Ministry of Home Affairs was yet to officially announce the rate of enhancement of the financial package to be given to the Bru families.