Tripura officials get legal notice for ‘coercing Bru migrants to return’

“We have learned that your administration has stopped the ration, cash dole, and such other critical relief services at the seven Bru IDP relief camps in Tripura, creating a dire circumstance for the refugees, resulting, so far, in the death due to starvations of six persons, among others…..in addition, it is learned that you are threatening to close the relief camps on 30.11.2019 and then there are reports of sporadic violence by the police authorities against the IDPs”, the notice reads.

Ration to Bru migrant camps was stopped by the Centre in October after some migrants refused to return to Mizoram under a repatriation scheme. The Tripura government recently said it will restore supplies, but only till November 30, which is the deadline for the ongoing ninth phase of repatriation.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, advocate Ali Zia Kabir Choudhary, who is representing Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum (MBDPF) in the Supreme Court in a petition continuing since 2017, said the legal notice was meant to remind the government that there are standing orders from the apex court that Bru migrants can’t be coerced to return.

The petition, moved in 2017, had sought land, housing, adequate compensation and cluster settlement for Bru migrants.

The Supreme Court has since issued two orders that pertain to taking no coercive steps against the migrants for repatriating them. While the first order was passed in February 2017, the March order said the Solicitor General had clarified that while those migrants returning willingly to Mizoram would not be stopped, no action would be taken against others.

DGP Shukla and DM Kumar were not available for their comments on the notice, but Baidya confirmed he had received it and was consulting lawyers.

“I have received the notice. I am consulting lawyers over this issue..can’t comment any further at this point,” Baidya told indianexpress.com.