From Bhupen Goswami
Guwahathi: A massive protest has begun today against the government’s plan to permanently resettle more than 35,000 Bru refugees living in refugee camps in Tripura over the years in the northeastern state of Tripura. This afternoon, bengali and Mijo joint movement workers set ablaze the vehicles. Police and heavy security have been deployed on the spot, and tear gas shells have been fired by the authorities to bring the situation under control. In the incident, tripura security forces allegedly fired at protesters on Saturday in Panisagar and at least one person was killed and more than 100 people were seriously injured.
The national highway was blocked by protesters against the rehabilitation of displaced Bru migrants in Kanchanpur sub-division. According to the report, protestors protesting the rehabilitation of Bru refugees from Mizoram have blocked the national highway at Dolubari village in North Tripura district. According to reports, arson and cars have been set ablaze in the area as tension swelled in the area. Originally, protests have been sparked in Tripura over the rehabilitation of more than 35,000 reeng refugees who fled during hailstorm and communal riots from Mizoram. Meanwhile, the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India have said that the rehabilitation process of Bru migrants in Tripura should be ensured without hurting the interests of local residents.
Mention here, on the appeal of some organisations, a permanent strike is going on in Kanchanpur sub-division from Monday. Thousands of people from the Bru community have been living in Kanchanpur area of Tripura for a long time after the violence in neighbouring Mizoram. The Centre signed an agreement in January this year to permanently rehabilitate these refugees and announced a resettlement package of 600 crore.
The Bru tribe’s dispute is decades old. In fact, the people of this community belong to neighbouring Mizoram. Most of the Bru families live in Mammoth and Thalassib districts. The communal riot between Bru-Reeng and the majority Mijo community in 1996 caused their exodus. Thousands of Bru tribes participate in refugee camps in the neighbouring state of Tripura after violent clashes in Mizoram. Bengali and Mijo joint organizations said that the Bru community is not a native of Mizoram.
The centre and the state governments had been trying to return to Mizoram for the refugees living in relief camps in Tripura for a long time. But despite all the security and employment assurances from the government, 51 people returned to Mizoram in October 2019 last year. But most of the people are not ready to return to Mizoram, while the government had provided free ration in refugee camps. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and representatives of Bru refugees signed an agreement in Delhi in January this year to resolve the refugee crisis and permanently resettle them in Tripura in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Mizoram Chief Minister Zoram thanga. A package of Rs. 600 crore has been given. According to the agreement, the refugees will be given a residential plot and a fax deposit of Rs 4 lakh will be made in the name of the family. At the same time, every family will be given a monthly cash assistance of five thousand rupees.
Moreover, the agreement also provides for giving 1.5 lakh rupees for building houses in addition to free ration for the next two years. On the other hand, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF), an organization of refugees, has recently raised the demand for issuance of permanent citizens and scheduled caste certificates. “We have nothing to do with the movement of local organizations,” says Bruno Masha, general secretary of the organization. We are confident that the Government will take necessary steps for our rehabilitation as per the agreement.
