Tripura royal Pradyot Manikya demands Tripura Govt to fast-track repatriation process of Brus

AGARTALA: Tripura royal Pradyot Manikya today met BJP leader and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb to stress on an early settlement for the rehabilitation of the 35,000 plus Bru/reangs in Tripura. During today's meeting, Manikya stressed that the "issue needs to be finished within the stipulated timeline."

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Pradyot Manikya also met the Chief secretary along with State and Centre officials along with the Bru leaders to stress on early settlement. The Bru community -- seemingly on the cusp of finally being settled in their adopted homeland Tripura -- have been urging the government to fast-track the settlement of their repatriation process.

"The Brus have appealed that their issues be resolved. They have suffered a lot especially due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The process of repatriation has been stalled for 6 months," Manikya told scribes here today. "The Government has given a commitment and if they are unable to fulfill their commitments, what can we do? A commitment is a commitment. It is understandable that the coronavirus has occurred. But recently, elections have been held in Bihar -- this means the situation in India. Therefore, it is important that the issue be resolved soon. They have been living in relief camps for 23 years -- how long can they live there?"

It needs mention here that an agreement has been signed between the Government of India, Government of Tripura and Mizoram and Bru community representatives in New Delhi on 16th January 2020 to put an end to 23 years old Bru refugee crisis.

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    The agreement was signed in the presence of Minister of Home Affairs Amit shah, Chief Ministers of Tripura and Mizoram, Bru representatives and Senior officials. As per the agreement around 34,000 Bru refugees will be settled in Tripura with Centre Providing a package of around 600 crores for their settlement and all-round Development. 

    Details of the agreement include 40*30 sq.ft of residential plots to each displaced ffamily, a fixed deposit of rupees 4 lakhs, aid of 5,000 cash per month for 2 years, Rupees 1.5 lakhs to build house and free rations for 2 years from the date of resettlement.

To ascertain the numbers of those who will be settled, a fresh survey and physical Verification of Bru families living in relief camps would be carried out. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has put the settlement on the backburner, with most of the Government's efforts being directed to controlling the pandemic.

    Bru community, original inhabitants of Mizoram, have been living in temporary camps in Tripura since 1997, following ethnic violence in Mizoram which led to the Displacement of Around 5,000 Bru families.

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