Brus reluctant to return should be allowed to stay in Tripura: Mizoram leaders

AIZAWL: Several Mizo leaders, and a large section of society in Mizoram, have said the Bru families who are staying in the six relief camps in north Tripura, and have refused to return home, should be allowed to stay back. They have urged the Tripura government to accommodate the Bru community who stayed in these camps for 22 years.
Former Rajya Sabha member and leader of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) Lalhming Liana said Tripura is the homeland of the Bru community and they should not be forced to leave the land of their ancestors."Of the 21 recognised scheduled tribes in Tripura, the Brus (known as Reangs in that state) are the second-most populous. this reaffirms that they were originally from Tripura," Liana said.
He said the Brus were not foreigners or refugees but Indian citizens being displaced and should be allowed to reside in Tripura, "which was their fundamental right".
Opposition Mizoram People's Conference (MPC), civil societies and student organisations also said the Brus, who refused to return to Mizoram after the completion of the 9th and final round of the government-sponsored repatriation, should be allowed to stay back. The repatriation started from October 3 and is scheduled to be completed by November 30.
They said the Centre and the state government should refrain from conducting another round of repatriation process in view of the Bru community's reluctance to return to Mizoram.
"The diktak of the Election Commission to include Brus in the Mizoram electoral rolls is against the law, and their names should be deleted if they are not inside Mizoram," PRISM president Vanlalruata said.
The reactions come after a meeting of the Mizoram council of ministers, where it was decided that the ongoing Bru repatriation should be the last attempt at repatriation of the Brus lodged in six relief camps in north Tripura. The meeting of council of ministers was held at the chief minister's office on Friday, chaired by chief minister Zoramthanga.