Bru forum optimistic on refugee repatriation

From Our Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI: Even as uncertainty looms over the repatriation of as many as 35,000 Brus currently sheltered in six relief camps of North Tripura, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) anticipates a long-term solution to the impasse in the coming months.

“We are hopeful of a long-lasting solution in regard to the rehabilitation and repatriation of the camp inmates once the government at the Centre is formed in the coming months. Besides, the governments of Tripura and Mizoram also have to take initiative in getting the process started,” MBDPF general secretary, Bruno Msha said on Monday.

As it is, delays in the supply of ration by the Tripura government by about 10 to 20 days every month to the camps have been a regular feature over the past four years, the forum alleged.

“The latest such instance of delay in ration supply had almost touched three weeks this month but for a memorandum to the North Tripura district administration on April 20 that prompted release of the ration that day,” Msha said.

The forum had in the letter to the district administration threatened to stage agitation if the ration, which should reach the camps latest by the fifth of every month, was not supplied.

Sources said that camp inmates receive Rs 5 per day for each adult, Rs 2.50 for each minor, 600 grams rice for each adult every day, three soaps in a year, a pair of slippers every year and a mosquito net every three years.

The relief camps are located in Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district. The inmates had fled from neighbouring Mizoram in phases following ethnic clashes since 1997.

“The condition of the camp inmates is deteriorating every day. Elderly people and children are the most vulnerable and delay in food supply only makes things worse for them. We have appealed to the authorities for timely release of ration to the camps every month,” Msha said.

District administration officials had reportedly cited official formalities for the delay in supply of ration since the Union home ministry had earlier asked to halt supplies to camps after March 31, 2019.

The ministry had on March 13 this year directed that the supply of free ration should be continued till September 31, 2019.

Asked what happens after September, 2019, Msha said there was uncertainty in regard to the supply of ration to the relief camps but hoped that a solution to the repatriation impasse would be found by then.