Thaindian News

New Delhi, Apr 11(ANI): The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) on Monday said that a total of 142 Bru families consisting of 747 persons, including 592 adults and 155 minors, will be repatriated to Mizoram tomorrow.

The families will be repatriated from Naisingpara relief camp in Kanchanpuri subdivision of Tripura.

They will be resettled in five villages in Mizoram’s Mamit district - 49 families at Damdial, 33 families at Khanthuam, 16 families at Bawngva, 22 families at Damparengpui and 22 families at Tuipuibari.

These returnee families were drawn from the families who were affected by the March 19 fire at the Naisingpara camp.

Over 17,000 Brus were displaced in the fire, while 17 persons were charred to death.

The repatriation of Brus, who sought shelter in Tripura in 1997, was suspended in November 2010 following a protest by the Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum.

Earlier, on 29 December 2010, ACHR Director Suhas Chakma had facilitated a dialogue between the pro and anti-repatriation factions of the displaced Brus who signed the Kanchapur Agreement.

The repatriation is taking place based on the written guarantees provided by the Home Ministry on January 5.

There are about 30,000 remaining Bru IDPs in the camps.

“The resumption of repatriation of the Bru IDPs who have been living in miserable conditions in relief camps in Tripura for 13 years is welcome. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the government of Mizoram must ensure that these returnee Brus are immediately resettled at the villages identified,” Chakma said.

“A large number of previous returnees still living in makeshift camps in Mizoram following their return is not helping the repatriation process,” he added. (ANI)