Bru groups thank Centre, Tripura govt, regional parties for pact

GUWAHATI: Bru organisations have hailed the efforts of the Centre, Tripura government and all the regional political parties of Tripura for the materialisation of the quadripartite agreement for resettlement and rehabilitation of the community’s internally-displaced people.

Speaking to The Shillong Times over phone after landing at Agartala airport on Saturday afternoon, Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum general secretary, Bruno Msha said the agreement has materialised by virtue of the Centre and Tripura government’s initiative along with the support of all the regional parties and sections of communities in Tripura.

“Here, I must specially thank Tripura royal scion and chairman of TIPRA (The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, the apolitical outfit launched last month), Pradyot Kishore Debbarma for his strong initiative in regard to the resettlement and rehabilitation of the Bru families taking refuge in camps for over two decades,” Msha said.

Debbarma had been pursuing for the cause of resettlement of the Bru refugees in Tripura and had also appealed to Union home minister Amit Shah for their resettlement in Tripura itself.

“The future of the Brus does not lie in relief camps. The next generation has to move ahead and the only way out was through such an agreement ensuring permanent resettlement of all the internally displaced families. So the feedback from the camps is that the families are very happy now,” Msha said.

MBDPF was a party to the agreement of the Union home ministry signed in New Delhi on Thursday.

“We have been pursuing a permanent solution over the past 22 years but could not do so. But this agreement will ensure that and thank the Centre and the Tripura government who have been very kind to us. The Tripura government has also committed to fully support and cooperate in the implementation of the agreement,” he said.

The Union government has sanctioned Rs 600crore for the resettlement and rehabilitation of the internally displaced people in Tripura under the agreement.

Asked about the fate of the 328 Bru families, who have been repatriated to Mizoram under an agreement in 2018, Msha said, “The Centre has already ensured a rehabilitation package for them. The Mizoram government will take care of their resettlement and rehabilitation there.”