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Bru migrants move to permanent homes in Tripura 23 yrs after exiting Mizoram
The agreement last year led to several protests by few local organizations alleging it would effect a change in the demography of the 15 areas identified in the six districts of Tripura for the community’s resettlement.
23 years after more than 30,000 Bru tribals fled to Tripura having escaped deadly ethnic clashes in Mizoram, the first 426 families from the community left the relief camps they were staying in since October 1997 for their new permanent residences in their adopted state on Monday, bringing an age-old dispute over their resettlement, and also a humanitarian crisis, a step closer to a final resolution.
“Total 426 Bru families have left the relief camp for their permanent residences at two locations, namely Haduklau and Bongofapara in Dhalai district of Tripura in the first batch. Of them, 202 families went to Bongofapara and the rest went to Haduklau on Monday,” said Kanchanpur sub divisional magistrate Chandni Chandran. More families are expected to move to their newly-allotted permanent residences in the second batch on Thursday, she added.
This day was made possible due to the breakthrough agreement signed last January between the Union home ministry, governments of Tripura and Mizoram and the Bru migrants, who remained in Tripura after repatriation of over 5,000 community members in nine phases since 2009.
The agreement also assigned ₹600 crore for the community’s resettlement.
The agreement last year led to several protests by few local organizations alleging it would effect a change in the demography of the 15 areas identified in the six districts of Tripura for the community’s resettlement. Two persons, including a fireman, were killed and 20 others were injured in the clashes.
As the new chapter in their lives begin, the community members have been enrolled for Aadhar making them eligible to receive benefits under different schemes, including those announced for their resettlement. All the families were being given a temporary house with provision for water and ration supplies.
The Brus fled from Mizoram after clashes with the Mizo tribe in the state and are currently spread across Tripura, Mizoram and parts of southern Assam. Also known as Reangs in the state, they are one of the 19 scheduled tribes of Tripura and have their own language and dialect.
