Thousands of people belonging to Adivasi and Bodo communities displaced by ethnic violence in western Assam Chirang and Kokrajhar districts in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) will school back in their homes.
“Bodoland had witnessed riots in 1996, 2008 and 2012. Peace has returned to the region after the signing of the BTR Peace Accord in January 2020. We want the affected people to go back home and live their lives without fear,” The Hindu quoted BTC chief Pramod Boro as saying.
He said that the rehabilitation will start with the affected Adivasi and Bodo people of Gossaigaon area [Kokrajhar district].
“It is unfortunate that they have been away from home for 25 years,” he said.
According to the BTC chief, Central flagships such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission have been joined together with the rehabilitation programme.
Between 1993 and 2014, more than 970 east Bengal origin Muslims, Adivasis and Bodos died in ethnic clashes triggered by Bodo militants’ attack.
Some of the 8.4 lakh people displaced by the violence have remained in relief camps while others relocated to areas beyond present-day BTR.
“We are rebuilding the damaged or destroyed houses of a few thousand. The others have not gone to their abandoned houses because of security concerns. We are setting up police outposts in their areas to help them get over their fears,” Boro said.