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Reang tribals are locally called 'Bru'. Reuters File Photo
Newmai News Network
Aizawl | October 9:
The Mizoram government on October 9 has appealed to all "willing" Bru residents from "Tripura camps" to return to Mizoram. This appeal came amid agitation launched by the Bru people in "Tripura camps".
An official statement of the Mizoram government on Wednesday said that Mamit district deputy commissioner, Dr Lalrozama convened a public meeting at Naisingpara relief camp in Tripura on Monday and asked the Bru people to allow the "willing" families to come back to Mizoram. He also asked the Bru leaders to not obstruct the "willing" families or create any disturbance to ensure that the ensuing repatriation is not disturbed.
Citing that the recent death of a woman due to the alleged domestic violence in Mamit district has no any connection with the Bru repatriation, Dr Lalrozama asked the Bru people not to take the incident as ‘communal,’ the statement said. “The alleged murder, which purportedly was out of domestic violence, should not be turned into communal colour and hence it should not be used as an agenda to impede the ongoing repatriation,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, various Bru bodies launched agitation, demanding that they should not be sent back to Mizoram unless their demands are met. The organizations also slammed the Mizoram government for sending vehicles to relief camps despite intimation that the Bru people are reluctant to return until their demands are met.
Earlier, the Bru bodies have demanded the Mizoram government to call for a meeting of Joint Monitoring Group involving the Centre to discuss the Bru issues before repatriation finally takes place. The Bru leaders also asked the state government of Mizoram to allow them to have prior inspection on the rehabilitation centres and villages where the Bru families will be resettled. They also demanded cluster village besides that all Bru families should be allowed to return to Mizoram.
The Bru organizations also blamed the Mizoram government for ignoring the protest staged by Bru women over the murder of a Bru woman and the repatriation.
It can be mentioned here that at least 51 Bru families have returned to Mizoram in the ongoing repatriation so far.
