Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea: The Bru Refugees In Tripura
They are indigenous to India’s Northeast, but today thousands of Bru people have nothing to call it home. They can’t go back to Mizoram, neither they feel welcome in Tripura. TNE zooms in on this unfolding humanitarian crisis.
Team NE
Last month, one person was killed and at least 20 were injured in Tripura after police opened fire at people protesting against the government’s plan to resettle Bru (Reang) migrants from Mizoram.In 1997, 37,000 people of the Bru tribe arrived in Tripura from Mizoram following a conflict with local groups. So far only 5,000 have been able to return to Mizoram while 32,000 remain in camps at Kanchanpur in Tripura. In January this year, an agreement was signed by the Centre, the two state governments and Bru representatives to allow the remaining migrants to permanently settle in the state.
The protestors who belong to Bengali and Mizo groups in Tripura formed an organization,Joint Movement Committee to oppose the government’s plan. They are of the view that settling migrants in Kanchanpur would lead to a demographic disparity besides creating law and order problems. The agitation began with demonstrations and memoranda which escalated to clashes with the police. The forum has said that not more than 1,500 Bru families would be allowed to settle in Kanchanpur.
