AIZAWL, May 30 - Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has written to his Tripura counterpart, Biplab Kumar Deb, urging him to reconsider his Government�s proposal to settle Bru refugees in Jampui Hills in Tripura�s Kanchanpur subdivision.
In the letter addressed to the Tripura Chief Minister on Friday, Zoramthanga said, �I am given to understand that there is a proposal for resettlement of a good number of displaced Brus residing in Tripura in Mizo-inhabited Jampui Hills and surrounding areas under Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura district.�
The letter stated that there has been ethnic tension and upheaval between Mizos and Brus, both in Mizoram and Tripura, and any strain between the two communities in Tripura will undoubtedly have repercussions in Mizoram and vice versa, which could defeat the very purpose and spirit of the agreement signed between the representatives of the Bru community, the chairman of TIPRA, the Chief Secretaries of Tripura and Mizoram and the Joint Secretary of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on January 16.
Zoramthanga urged Deb to reconsider and withdraw the proposal for resettlement of displaced Brus at the traditional habitat of Mizos in Jampui Hills and adjoining areas. Zoramthanga�s letter also mentioned that the Mizo community in four villages of Sakhan Hills had fled their traditional villages due to tension with Brus displaced from Mizoram in 1998. �In view of the above, inter alia, I would posit that reconsideration and cancellation of the proposed resettlement of displaced Brus amidst Mizo traditional settlers of Jampui Hills and arrangement of other appropriate locations is inevitable if the historic agreement signed on January 16, 2020 is to be successfully implemented in letter and spirit,� Zoramthanga�s letter read.
Meanwhile, the Mizo Convention of Jampui Hills, an organisation of Mizo people living in Jampui Hills, on Friday protested at Kanchanpur subdivision, demanding resettlement of Bru people outside North Tripura district.
Our Agartala Correspondent adds: An administrative team led by Subdivisional Magistrate of Kanchapur, Chandni Chandran, on Saturday faced public protest at Manu-Chailenghta area of Kanchanpur subdivision over the proposed resettlement of Bru refugees. The team was forced to call off its scheduled visit after they faced strong opposition from the local people.
Meanwhile, the District Magistrate of North Tripura district, Raval H Kumar, has convened a meeting with representatives of Mizo Convention and Nagarik Suraksha Manch on June 3 to find an amicable solution to the problem.
