Newmai News Network
Aizawl | January 17
A day after the signing of an agreement on Bru issue, various political parties and civil society groups in Mizoram lauded the Centre and the governments of Mizorm and Tripura for the "historic" agreement, which would end the more than a 2-decade old Bru imbroglio.
The political parties and various organizations also termed the agreement as “milestone” in the political history of Mizoram.
Young Mizoram Association (YMA), the largest civil society organization in Mizoram, in a statement on Friday, expressed happiness over the signing of the agreement, according to which over 30,000 Bru people, who fled Mizoram in 1997, will be settled permanently in Tripura. The statement of the YMA said that the Centre and the Mizoram government have been making constant effort to repatriate the Brus, who were also warmly welcomed by the various organizations to return to their villages in Mizoram.
The Brus refused to return to Mizoram and chose to remain in six relief camps in Tripura despite several rehabilitation packages being offered to them, the statement said.
While lauding the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Mizoram government, the YMA said that the signing of the pact was a matter of satisfaction for Mizoram, which has been grappling with the Bru "crisis" for about 23 years.
“What makes us happy about the agreement is that those Bru voters, who will be settled in Tripura, will now be de-franchised in Mizoram for good,” the YMA said in the statement.
State’s apex student body, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) also thanked the Centre, the governments of Mizoram and Tripura and various organizations for their efforts towards the signing of the Bru agreement.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) hailed the quadripartite agreement as a “milestone” and “memorable event” for the people of Mizoram. The party, in a press statement, attributed the signing of the agreement to the efforts made by the Centre, the Mizoram government and NGOs.
It then wished that the agreement is materialized and remained fruitful.
While expressing happiness over the agreement, the state Congress said that it had made constant efforts to take back the displaced Bru people from Tripura during its regime.
A statement issued by the party said the Congress government had made proposals several times before the Centre and the Tripura government that the Bru people, who are not willing to return to Mizoram, should be allowed to settle in Tripura. However, the proposals were rejected by the then CPI (M) led Tripura government, the statement also said.
“It is a matter of happiness that the Tripura government has finally agreed to harbour the Bru people in its own state,” the Congress said in the statement.
The state BJP unit also hailed the agreement and thanked Union Home minister Amit Shah and state NGOs for their initiative towards finding a final solution to the Bru issue.
Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) also heartily welcomed the agreement and prayed that it is materialised without fail. The party also asked the state government to give utmost concern to the repatriated Bru families in Mizoram to ensure that they led a peaceful life and benefited from various development schemes.
