Mizoram’s Displaced Bru Tribals to Permanently Settle in Tripura

“Approximately 30,000 Bru refugees will be settled in Tripura. Rs 600 crore package has been given,” Amit Shah said.

A Bru refugee wearing traditional ornaments displays her voting card as she and others wait to cast their ballots at Thamsapara relief camp in Tripura on April 1, 2014. 

(Photo: Reuters)

A tripartite agreement allowing for more than 30,000 displaced Bru tribals from Mizoram – who have been living as refugees in Tripura since 1997 – to be permanently settled in Tripura, was signed on Thursday, 16 January, PTI reported.

The agreement was signed by Bru representatives, the Centre and the Mizoram government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the North Block in New Delhi.

“Approximately 30,000 Bru refugees will be settled in Tripura. A package of Rs 600 crore has been given for this.”

Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

“Bru refugees will get a 40 by 30 feet plot along with a fixed deposit of Rs 4 lakhs, cash assistance of Rs 5000 per month for 2 years and free ration,” ANI quoted Union Home Minister Amit Shah as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and shared that the agreement “will greatly help the Bru-Reang refugees. They will also benefit from numerous development schemes.”

The Bru tribals have been living in Tripura in different relief camps after they fled Mizoram in 1997 following ethnic clashes between Bru and Mizo communities.

An agreement signed in July 2018 for the repatriation of the Bru tribals to Mizoram did not materialise as majority of the community members had refused to return to Mizoram.

Bru Organisations Welcome Pact

The Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF)also welcomed the quadripartite agreement signed among the Centre, state governments of Tripura and Mizoram, and representatives of Bru to facilitate permanent settlement of Bru refugees in Tripura.

"We are happy with this agreement because it has allowed Bru migrants from Mizoram to permanently settle in Tripura. The Bru inmates, who are sheltered in six camps, would get all benefits of the package previously announced for repatriation to Mizoram," MBDPF's president Apeto Sawibunga said.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)