Repatriation of tribals from Tripura to Mizoram uncertain

Uncertainty has gripped the repatriation of 32,876 tribals from Tripura to Mizoram as the refugee leaders on Tuesday said the tribals are unwilling to return to their homes unless their old demands, including formation of the Area Development Council for the Reang tribals, are met.

However, the Tripura government officials on Tuesday said they are not aware of any fresh developments and confirmed once again that the repatriation process would start from August 16, as scheduled earlier.

After a series of meetings, the representatives of Tripura and Mizoram governments, Union Home Ministry officials and the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) had signed an agreement to this effect on July 3 in New Delhi.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and his Mizoram counterpart Lal Thanhawla were also present during the signing of the pact.

As per the agreement, 32,876 Reang tribals, comprising 5,407 families, would start returning to their homes from August 16. The multi-phase repatriation would be completed by September 30.

The refugee leaders on Tuesday told the media that they pulled out of the quadripartite agreement following a severe agitation by the refugees.

"We would inform in writing to the Union Home Ministry, and Tripura and Mizoram governments tomorrow (Wednesday) about our withdrawal from the agreement. We have more genuine demands which were not incorporated in the agreement despite our appeal," MBDPF General Secretary Bruno Msha told IANS over phone from northern Tripura's Kanchanpur on Tuesday.

The MBDPF is the apex organisation of the 32,876 refugees, locally known as "Bru", who have been living in six makeshift camps in Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions, adjoining Mizoram, for the past 21 years.

The tribals had fled their homes in western Mizoram following ethnic strife. The trouble in the state started after a Mizo forest official was killed.

Msha said: "Our demands, which were not incorporated in the agreement, included formation of Area Development Council (ADC) for the most backward Reang tribals in Mizoram, allotment of five hectares of land to each refugee family after their return, deployment of central para-military force for the protection of tribals in Mizoram and formation of cluster villages for the Reang tribals in that state."

Kanchanpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sajal Biswas said that the North Tripura district administration, which looks after the affairs of refugees, is ignorant about the Reang tribals' fresh move.

"Union Home Ministry's advisor Mahesh Kumar Singla held meetings with the refugee leaders and other officials during the past few days to finalise the strategies of repatriation. The repatriation of refugees would be held as per earlier schedule," Biswas told IANS over phone.

He said during the repatriation, the Tripura government would provide security and logistical support, including transportation, to the refugees.

Meanwhile, a Tripura Home Department official said here on Tuesday that Union Home Ministry's Special Secretary (Internal Security) Rina Mitra was scheduled to meet officials of Tripura and Mizoram governments and leaders of the MBDPF here on Wednesday, but the meeting has been postponed.

"The meeting would have finalised an action plan for the repatriation," the official said.

Mitra signed the July 3 agreement on behalf of the Union Home Ministry, while Tripura Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan and Mizoram's Principal Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo are the other signatories.

A section of refugees held agitation for past five days until Monday in relief camps in Kanchanpur, about 180 km north of Tripura capital Agartala, in support of their demands.

MBDPF president A. Sawibunga, who was one of the signatories of July 3 agreement in New Delhi, said that they were compelled to withdraw from the agreement following the severe agitation of the refugees.

"We would consult our people and decide the future course of action," Sawibunga said.