From Our correspondent
AGARTALA: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday appealed to displaced Reang refugees from Mizoram to return to their homeland without any delay for beginning life afresh.
“Your problem will not be solved unless all the refugees get back to homeland,” he told the refugee leaders in a meeting at Gachirampara community hall in North Tripura’s Kanchanpur subdivision.
Assuring full support for proper rehabilitation to refugee leaders, Chidambaram said that the DoNER had already chalked out a plan amounting to Rs 33 crore for settlement of Bru people in Mizoram.
In the meeting, Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF), apex body of refugees gave a 23-point charter of demands to the Union Minister. The demands include proper settlement with full security and substantial financial help for rehabilitation.
After the meeting with refugee leaders, Chidambaram returned here and met Chief Minister Manik Sarkar at Civil Secretariat. Revenue Minister Badal Chowdhury and Chief Secretary SK Panda were also present in the meeting.
Later talking to media, Chidambaram said, “The process for repatriation of Bru refugees sheltered in six refugee camp in Kanchanpur is on. I am going to Mizoram next month to resume the return of over 30,000 internally displaced Bru people. If situation demands, I will come here again to end the long impasse.”
The impasse centering repatriation of Bru refugees seems over with Mizoram government officials agreeing to take back all the refugees sheltered in six relief camps.
The development came in a tripartite meeting held at Civil Secretariat here on Friday which was attended by MHA Joint Secretary Shambu Singh, officials from Tripura government and Mizoram government.
In the meeting, GK Rao, the Principal Secretary made the state government’s stand clear of ensuring early repatriation of 36,660 Reang refugees sheltered in six relief camps. On the other hand, Home Secretary of Mizoram P Laldinha agreed to take back all the internally displaced Bru families but put a condition saying that Tripura government will have to take back 83 Mizo families who have taken shelter in Mizoram. In reply, Rao said that of the 83 displaced Mizo families, 32 have been not only residing in Tripura but also receiving salary or pension from the state government. “As many as 30 Mizo families whose names got registered in electoral rolls, have taken shelter in Mizoram on their own will and the allegation of torture or insecurity of these families was not true.”
Giving a patient hearing, the MHA emissary requested representatives of both state to ensure early repatriation of refugees with the Centre willing to ectend all possible help. Later, an agreement was singed agreeing on repatriation of Bru refugees.