Uncertainty looms large over repatriation of Bru refugees from Tripura. The Bru repatriation process has hit a roadblock again. When things were appearing to settle down with the beginning of the repatriation, the repatriation process has once again stopped. Altogether 577 families including 4,800 members of Kasko camp in Panisagar Sub division are now spending days in wilderness.
The Center has stopped giving free ration and other benefits to the Bru (Reang) refugees of Mizoram lodged in six relief camps in Tripura from October 1. The Bru refugees have also turned down the repatriation process and alleged that the central government has failed to fulfill their demands.
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The government’s facilities to the refugees included cash assistance of Rs 5 per adult per day. It is Rs 2.5 for minors. Similarly, an adult refugee is given 600 grams of rice per day; it is 300 grams for minors. Also, a refugee, irrespective of age, gets seven grams of salt a day. They also get a pair of slipper once in three years. The males get a shirt and the females get a skirt annually. One blanket in three years, one soap per month in a family, edible oil of Rs 20, one mosquito net in three years.
The refugees stated that they had certain demands which were within the parameters of the agreement that they had signed. In a meeting held at Aizwal on September 10 the Bru refugees raised few demands of staying particularly in Mamith and Kolashib districts of Mizoram. They wanted to live in areas including Nualmam, Rtepa, Thangjoa, Jowar, Khanthuam, Khaidor, Molthuam and Orpoarameng, Thinliang and Rajdali. They further raised the demand to let them stay in the camps of Tripura until the construction of their houses is complete in Mizoram besides fulfilling all the commitments made by the central government before being repatriated from Tripura.
Talking to media personnel at Kasko camp, Jhon Mesca, Charlie Molsoi, Villager Ram Kumar Reang and Nandita Reang, Sonajoy Reang said they will not leave the state until all the commitments are fulfilled by the central government during their stay in Tripura.
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