120 displaced families to return to Mizoram

The first phase will cover Brus named in the electoral rolls,while the second will include families who claim to have lived in Mizoram but have no government papers.

The 120 families who will be repatriated now are part of the fifth batch of the ongoing first phase and will be housed in 15 villages of western Mamit district. The provisions provided to the families include Rs 5,500 for transportation costs,Rs 85,000 as compensation and free rations for one year as per the Central government’s policy. The Mizoram government will provide for land to them.

The Mizos,however,are disgruntled by the decision as they feel the government is unnecessarily intervening in the repatriation of people whom they accuse of fleeing on their own will. The repatriation has also been hampered by some Bru families demanding a higher compensation than initially discussed. The Mizoram government,to tackle this,has decided to follow the policy of voluntary repatriation,

The Bru families fled Mizoram over disagreement with the majority Mizos over the former’s demand for formation of a separate Autonomous District Council. The dispute took a violent turn in 1997.