16-Jan-2020: Historic Agreement to end the Bru-Reang Refugee Crisis
Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah presided over the signing of an agreement between Government of India, Governments of Tripura and Mizoram and Bru-Reang representatives in New Delhi, to end the 23-year old Bru-Reang refugee crisis.
This historic agreement is in line with PM Modi’s vision for the progress of the North East and the empowerment of the people of the region. Ever since taking office, PM Modi has initiated numerous policy level interventions that have improved infrastructure, connectivity, economic growth, tourism and social development of the region.
Briefing the media, Shri Shah said that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi a permanent solution has been arrived to this long standing issue of rehabilitating thousands of Bru-Reang people in Tripura and they can now look towards a bright future. Under the new agreement, he informed, around 34,000 Bru refugees will be settled in Tripura and would be given aid from the Centre to help with their rehabilitation and all round development, through a package of around Rs 600 crores. These people would get all the rights that normal residents of the States get and they would now be able to enjoy the benefits of social welfare schemes of Centre and State governments. The settlement has been reached after detailed discussions held by Union government with the State governments of Mizoram and Tripura and the representatives of Bru tribes and it was decided that the Bru refugees.
The Home Minister informed that under the new arrangement, each of the displaced families would be given 40x30 sq. ft. residential plots, in addition to the aid under earlier agreement of a fixed deposit of Rs. 4 lakhs, Rs. 5,000 cash aid per month for 2 years, free ration for 2 years and Rs. 1.5 lakhs aid to build their house. The government of Tripura would provide the land under this agreement.
Shri Shah mentioned about how the North East is being put on the track of fast paced development under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi. He talked about the recent surrender of 88 armed insurgents of the NLFT(SD) group and assimilating them into the mainstream. This major step, along with the Bru-Reang agreement, is important milestones in bringing fast paced development to the State of Tripura. Soon, a lasting peace would be established in the whole of the North East under Prime Minister’s leadership.
In 1997, following ethnic tension, around 5,000 families comprising around 30,000 Bru-Reang tribals were forced to flee Mizoram and seek shelter in Tripura. These people were housed in temporary camps at Kanchanpur, in North Tripura.
Since 2010, Government of India has been making sustained efforts to permanently rehabilitate these refugees. The Union government has been assisting the two State governments for taking the care of the refugees. Till 2014, 1622 Bru-Reang families returned to Mizoram in different batches.
On 3rd July, 2018, an agreement was signed between the Union government, the two State governments and representatives of Bru-Reang refugees, as a result of which the aid given to these families was increased substantially. Subsequently, 328 families comprising of 1369 individuals returned to Mizoram under the agreement. There had been a sustained demand of most Bru-Reang families that they may be allowed to settle down in Tripura, considering their apprehensions about their security.
19-Aug-2018: Home Ministry relaxes terms in Bru deal
The Union Home Ministry has agreed to relax conditions laid down in the ‘four-corner agreement’ signed with Bru migrants for their repatriation from Tripura to Mizoram.
Leaders of the Members of Bru Displacement Forum (MBDPF), who signed the agreement in July this year, were forced to pull out of the deal within two weeks of signing it due to strong protests by the Bru community in Tripura against certain terms of the deal.
In 1997, a bout of ethnic violence had forced thousands of people from the Bru tribe to leave their homes in Mizoram and settle down in Tripura. Twenty years later, on July 3 this year, the Centre announced the signing of a “historical agreement” with the Governments of Mizoram and Tripura, the Union Home Ministry and the MBDPF. As part of the agreement, 32876 persons from 5,407 families, presently staying in temporary camps in Tripura, would be repatriated to Mizoram before September 30. The deal also specified a financial assistance of Rs 435 crore over a period of two years.
Each of the 5,407 Bru families who moved from Tripura to Mizoram was to be given a one-time financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to be kept as fixed deposit in the name of the head of the family. However, according to the initial agreement, the cash assistance was to be provided only after three years of uninterrupted stay in Mizoram.
However, following strong protests from Bru refugees in Tripura over the three-year condition, Home Ministry sources said the norms may now be eased. ”For those (Brus) who are willing to return to Mizoram, we might relax the period of stay for cash assistance of Rs 4 lakh from three years to two or even one and a half years,” an official explained adding that refugees may also be allowed to withdraw 90 per cent of the Rs 4 lakh assistance as bank loan immediately after their return.
The Centre may also dilute the conditions in place for financial assistance. According to the original agreement, a house building assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh was to be disbursed in three instalments. This could now be relaxed further, with those Bru refugees building a house on their return to Mizoram being allowed to take the Rs 1.5 lakh assistance in a single installment or two.
Bru communities in Tripura have also been assured that on relocation, at least 50 refugees will be settled in each village. The MBDPF had demanded cluster housing for all those being repatriated, a proposal that was rejected by the Mizoram government.
Besides financial assistance, the four-corner agreement also provides for free ration for two years and a monthly assistance of Rs 5,000 for each family. Identity documents such as ration cards and Aadhaar would be issued by the Tripura government. Some of the other measures being planned for the resettlement of these families in Mizoram include Eklavya residential schools, land for Jhum cultivation, permanent residential and ST certificates, and a special development project.
According to the agreement, the Mizoram government would ensure security for all repatriated refugees who were identified and verified as per the 1997 electoral rolls of Mizoram. The Election Commission has already directed the state to issue photo voter identity cards to Bru migrants in Mizoram.
The Home Ministry had earlier warned that all Bru refugee camps in north Tripura would be shut down after September 25.
7-Aug-2018: Rehabilitation of Bru Migrants
In a major breakthrough on repatriation of displaced Bru persons from Mizoram since 1997, an Agreement has been signed by Government of India, Government of Mizoram, Government of Tripura and Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) on 3.7.2018. 5407 families comprising of 32,876 persons presently in temporary camps in Tripura will be repatriated to Mizoram before 30th September, 2018. Government of India will provide financial assistance for rehabilitation of Brus in Mizoram, such as Financial Assistance @ Rs. 4 Lakh / per family, Cash Assistance @ Rs. 5000/ per month per family for 2 years, Housing Assistance @ 1,50,000 / per family, Free Ration @ 600 gm /300 gm, adult/minor for 2 years, utensils & blankets @ Rs. 3,500/ per family and security cost, and address their issue of security, education, livelihood, etc. in consultation with Government of Mizoram and Tripura.
3-Jul-2018: Agreement signed on repatriation of Bru persons to Mizoram
In a major breakthrough on repatriation of displaced Bru persons from Mizoram since 1997, an agreement has been signed by Government of India, Governments of Mizoram and Tripura and Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) in the presence of Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister of Mizoram Shri Lalthanhawla, and Chief Minister of Tripura Shri Biplab Kumar Deb.
5,407 families comprising of 32,876 persons presently in temporary camps in Tripura will repatriate to Mizoram before 30th Sept., 2018.
Government of India will provide financial assistance for rehabilitation of Brus in Mizoram and address their issues of security, education, livelihood etc. in consultation with Governments of Mizoram and Tripura.
A Committee under Special Secretary (Internal Security) will coordinate the implementation of this agreement.