Agartala: The decades-long Bru imbroglio has finally come to an end with the settlement process for the displaced Brus commencing in a few days. This has brought smiles to the faces of more than 30,000 Bru refugees who have been forced to live in six refugee camps set up in the North Tripura district.
Ethnic clashes in Mizoram forced at least 35,000 people from the Bru community to flee from their state and to settle in the camps in Tripura. But now this signed agreement will allow them to remain permanently in Tripura.
The permanent settlement has been the result of a historic agreement signed between the Government of Tripura, Government of Mizoram, Ministry of Home Affairs and the representatives of the refugees in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, January 16 last year.
According to Bru leader and spokesman Bruno Masho, in the first phase of the resettlement process, about 1,600 families are going to be given settlement in Tripura’s Dhalai and North Tripura district.
“As far as we know, 1,600 families are going to be given settlement in four select places under Ambassa, Longthorai valley and Panisagar subdivisions. In all the cases, the families are supposed to get all the benefits that the government of India has assured as per the quadripartite pact and subsequently announced Rs 600 crore package”, Masho told ETV Bharat over the phone.
READ: WATCH: Locals in Tripura protest against rehabilitation of Bru refugees from Mizoram
As a part of the resettlement process, altogether 426 families have been shifted to various parts of the Dhalai district. The families have been divided into small clusters so that they could stay in their comfort zone.
Speaking on the issue, SDM Longtharai valley subdivision A Bardhan said, “We are planning to give settlement to the displaced families in such a way that they don't feel any sort of discomfort. For example, at Labancherra gram panchayat under the Longtharai valley sub-division, not less than 300 families have been shifted to their permanent homes. The area has started to look different after the arrival of the Brus."
Meanwhile, speaking about the developments, DM Dhalai Govekar Mayur Ratilal said, "At the first phase they are provided with housing and other basic amenities. Electricity and other works would follow it."
However, Bru leader Masho pinpointed some lapses and asked for immediate attention from the government to resolve the problems.
“Overall, the process is going smooth but there are certain challenges which need immediate attention from the government”.
READ: 'Bru-Reang agreement reflects country's foresight about national security'
All the families who are being shifted to their permanent huts are being also subjected to Covid 19 tests in order to contain the spread of Covid 19 in the areas where they are moved.
According to Masho, although identification of all the families has been done, there are certain lapses remaining.
"During the resettlement process, many people got married, widowed, divorced and due to this, the family setup has changed a bit. The new inclusions or deletions have not been approved yet by the administration," Masho said.
“After being widowed or divorced, the victim becomes a nuclear family. She deserves to be considered as a family but now the process of inclusion becomes tough when the process is almost ending”, he pointed out.
He also said that in certain patches there was a stark difference between the location that was first inspected and where the settlement was actually given.
“In some areas, the settlement has not been given exactly at the place where it was unanimously agreed. People have to face certain difficulties at the proposed houses. Certain stretches of the identified areas are on steep slopes. The proposed floored cement and corrugated sheet roofed houses are not possible to be built in these locations. We are demanding the government should allow us to erect bamboo-made Tong huts for us”, said Masho.
READ: Displaced Bru tribals from Mizoram to permanently settle in Tripura; pact signed
He had also complained that the houses were being built in such a way that there was no space in between two houses.
In the ongoing process, around 35,000 tribal refugees from 5,400 families of the Reang tribal community would be resettled permanently in different places of Tripura.
The Centre had announced an Rs. 600 crore package for the settlement of the Reang tribes in Tripura. Out of which, Rs 150 lakh will be earmarked to the Tripura government for land acquisition and the rest would be spent for the welfare of the Bru people. A series of violent agitations against the resettlement of the Reang tribes in North Tripura had taken place in November last year.
