More than 30,000 people belonging to the Bru community, who fled from Mizoram to Tripura in 1997 in the wake of inter-community violence, are set to be repatriated to Mizoram, the Union Home Ministry said on Tuesday.
As many as 32,876 people of the Reang tribe (known as Brus in Mizoram) will be repatriated from Tripura to Mizoram following a tripartite agreement signed by the two State governments and the Centre, the Ministry said. Home Minister Rajnath Singh described the agreement as a “major breakthrough in repatriation of displaced Bru persons.”
Mizoram goes to polls later this year. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said the agreement was “historic”.
“Each Bru family will be given one time financial assistance of ₹4 lakh to be kept in fixed deposit in name of head of the family within one month of repatriation. Each family will be given assistance of ₹5,000 per month along with free ration for two years. A house building assistance of ₹1.5 lakh is to be disbursed,” Mr. Deb said on Twitter.
He also said that the government of Tripura would ensure that bank accounts and Aadhaar cards were issued to the families.
Reangs are the second largest ethnic group in Mizoram. The exodus in 1997 was spurred by violent clashes in Mamith subdivision, a Reang-dominated area, when they demanded creation of an autonomous council. The demand was vehemently opposed by Mizo groups.
Besides the Centre and the governments of Mizoram and Tripura, the pact was also signed by the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) in the presence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb and Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.
The displaced people, belonging to 5,407 families, currently living in temporary camps in Tripura, will be repatriated before September 30, 2018, a Home Ministry spokesperson said.
The Central government will provide financial assistance for rehabilitation of the Bru community members in Mizoram and address their issues of security, education, livelihood, etc. in consultation with the governments of Mizoram and Tripura.
A committee under Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry, Rina Mitra, will coordinate the implementation of this agreement.
