‘Nagarik Suraksha Mancha’ announces protest demanding Bru repatriation

“Nagarik Suraksha Mancha (Citizens Protection Forum)”—a citizen forum that came into existence followed by a series of violence on December 09 and 10 last, today announced a sit in demonstration seeking immediate repatriation of the Bru-refugees residing in Kanchanpur. The organization also threatened of going for an indefinite stir of its demands was not met.

Addressing the Press at Agartala Press Club this evening, president of the organization, Ranjit Nath said, due to the violent incursions from the part of Bru refugees many Bengali families had to fled away from Naisingpara, Anandabazar, and few adjoining areas. Due to the violent attacks of the Bru refugees, many people had to leave their ancestral properties in Kanchanapur.

“In the recent strike called by Joint movement committee of the refugees, altogether 92 families have been displaced. Houses are ransacked, properties are set on fire and cattle are eaten. All those families have taken shelter at Anandabazar police camp. This recent displacement of about 450 people has added up the figures of 6000 such displaced Bengali people over the years—from the time refugees settled in the refugee camps” he added.

Responding to a question regarding Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s letter seeking permanent settlement of the refugees in Kanchanpur, General Secretary of the organization Anup Chandra Nath feared it would severely impact the demographic balance of the region.

“If the refuges are settled here, definitely all of the 35,000 refugees will be disseminated among the adjoining constituencies resulting in a new problem— many of the general constituencies will leave the status of being so and certainly these will turn into reserved constituencies. The only solution of this problem is to pushing them back to Mizoram according to the four-corner agreement signed in March 2018” he added.

However, the organization has also surfaced a 12 point chartered of demands. “We have placed a charter of demands to the administration after the violence took place with an ultimatum of 25 days. Most of the demands are being entertained very positively by the administration, but few of the key demands are not yet met. The 25 days time ended today and we will hit back to the streets from tomorrow. If necessary, we will not hesitate to boycott the ensuing ADC elections,” Nath told media.