Tripura CM reacts to his Mizoram counterpart's letter requesting to reconsider Bru settlement
Agartala/UNI: Tripura government has remained unmoved on its decision to settle 34,000 displaced Bru people of Mizoram in the state despite continuing tension and series of demonstrations by different organisations, including non-Bru tribal residents of the surrounding Kanchanpur in North Tripura.
Organisations like Nagarik Suraksha Manch (NSM), Jampui Mizo Convention (JMC) and Young Mizo Association (YMA) have resorted to agitation opposing the Bru-rehabilitation plan of the Tripura government.
There have been large scale protests in various locations of North Tripura disrict, Dhalai and Unokoti districts when the administration went their to demarcate the land for settling the Brus.
Meanwhile, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga wrote to his Tripura counterpart requesting him to reconsider the plan of rehabilitating the displaced Brus in Mizo dominated Jampui hills of North Tripura, which has already triggered agitation in the bordering locations of Tripura and Mizoram.
Reacting to Zoramthanga’s request, Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb said, “Anybody can write a letter and request, but the decision is taken by the government of the state where the issue has arisen, taking a holistic view of the situation. The Bru settlement was a long pending issue and finally, it was resolved after a detailed discussion under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Deb however, reiterated that displaced Brus will be settled in the state very soon and the state government has already decided the places for settlement and all steps have been taken for an amicable solution to the problem.
A decision was taken to repatriate Bru families with a convincing package of rehabilitation to three districts of Western and Northern parts of Mizoram but Brus did not agree with the plan and demanded cluster-based rehabilitation of their choice and a separate autonomous district council (ADC) for Brus, which was not acceptable to Mizoram government.
Finally, Tripura government in a quadruplet agreement in January this year announced to settle them in 20 locations in different districts of the state and identified about 5500 acres of land.
The civil society organisation under the banner of NSM has launched a movement against the decision of Tripura government apprehending inter-community clashes and sudden increase of tribal population.
Meanwhile, Mizoram CM Zoramthanga requested Deb to immediately reconsider the move and cancel the proposal of re-settlement of displaced Brus in Mizo dominated Jampui Hills and surrounding areas in North Tripura. And, there has been ethnic tension and upheaval between Mizos and Brus, both in Mizoram and Tripura.
“Any strain between the two communities in Tripura will no doubt have repercussions in Mizoram and vice versa, which could defeat the very purpose and spirit of the agreement signed,” Zoramthanga apprehended in the letter.
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