140 Bru Refugee Families Return on Day One

Aizawl, May 22 : The first phase of repatriation of the Brus displaced from Mizoram in November 2009 began today with 140 families crossing into the state on day one.

In the first phase, which will complete on May 26, a total of 210 Bru families have been identified for repatriation, sources said.

Official sources said 140 families were from Naisingpara, Asapara and Hazacherrarefugee camps and will be resettled in their original villages of Damdiai, Tumpanglui, New Eden, Kolalian, Baturingpa and K Sarali in Mamit district.

The repatriation earlier scheduled on May 11 could not start as the state government of Mizoram allegedly failed to provide transportation facilities. The transportation facilities was now being organised by the state government of Mizoram with the assistance from the Tripura government. ''The much-awaited repatriation of tribal refugees from Tripura to Mizoram has begun and the authorities have arranged transport and security for them,'' refugee leader Elvis Chorkhy said over phone.

He said 32 Mizoram government officials accompanied by their Tripura counterparts are supervising the repatriation from Tripura relief camps to Mamit district in western Mizoram.

Chorkhy, who is also president of the Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum (MBDPF), said, ''We shall observe the repatriation and subsequent resettlement of the tribal refugees in their villages and then we shall decide the repatriation of the remaining evacuees.'' Since 1997, around 32,000 Bru tribal refugees have taken shelter in six relief camps in north Tripura, adjacent to Mizoram. They fled western Mizoram after ethnic clashes with the majority Mizos over the killing of a Mizo forest official.

The refugees repatriation from Tripura to Mizoram was stopped in November last year when a mob in the western Mizoram burnt down around 700 tribal houses after an 18-year-old Mizo youth was shot dead by suspected Bru militants.

Following the arson and violence, about 500 Bru families fled to Tripura and joined the Bru refugees already sheltered in the six refugee camps.

The repatriation is taking place after written assurances were given by the the Ministry of Home Affairs about rehabilitation and security of the returnee Brus.