3 min readAgartalaNov 4, 2019 10:14 PM IST
First published on: Nov 4, 2019 at 09:40 PM IST
As many as 32,000 Bru migrants, who fled ethnic disturbances in Mizoram, have been living in six relief camps in North Tripura for the past 22 years.
As the Bru repatriation deadlock continues amid six casualties in Tripura’s relief camps, the state government Monday stated the Centre had said it would not resume food supplies in the camps, but would provide Rs 25,000 to each migrant family in lieu of ration if they return to Mizoram within the next three days.
Senior officials in the state government said the note arrived from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Monday evening. The note, which was made available to indianexpress.com, was not signed by anyone, nor does it have any identifying marks of any ministry.
“Ration will not be released for October and November 2019. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has decided to give additional Rs 25,000/- directly in the bank account as cash assistance in lieu of ration and transportation after reaching to Mizoram only. This special assistance is available only for the inmates who will repatriate on 5th, 6th and 7th November 2019,” the note reads.
The note also says, “Decisions taken in the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting and co-signed by Bru leaders will be fully implemented and there is no space for receding back from the agreement by any of the stakeholders.”
It mentions that Section 144 of CrPC would be imposed from November 5 midnight from Laxmipur Special Police Officer (SPO) camp to Hazacherra via Ashapara and Naisingpara Bru camps. Migrants living in relief camps have been directed not to participate in any road blockade, or stern action would be taken as per law.
While the ‘Centre’s note’ could not be traced back to its origin, an order issued from the office of Kanchanpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Abhedananda Baidya Monday reads that prohibitory orders are to be promulgated on the road stretching from Dasda, Kambaltilla, to Hazacherra, Anandabazaar, from 12.30 pm of November 4. These are the areas affected by a road blockade of Bru migrants for the past five days.
As the efforts to repatriate the migrants have failed so far, the government now seems to be have chosen a different way. The note says district-level monitoring committees will now be formed with representatives of MHA, state governments of Tripura and Mizoram and different Bru organisations to oversee implementation of the package announced by the Government of India.
While the government of Mizoram identified 32,000-odd migrants as eligible to return, several were left out of the list. The government has clarified that an appellate body consisting of officials of MHA and Government of Tripura would be formed to hear claims of unidentified Bru migrants.
As many as 32,000 Bru migrants, who fled ethnic disturbances in Mizoram, have been living in six relief camps in North Tripura for the past 22 years.
Share
