Reang Refugees Repatriation Going Ahead Despite Resistance

Reang Refugees Repatriation Going Ahead Despite Resistance

* 309 persons belonging to 62 families have gone to Mizoram

A Correspondent

Agartala: Repatriation of Reang refugees is continuing despite resistance from the leaders of the Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples’ Forum and bad weather in the area. “Pace is slow but repatriation is going on”, said an official involved in the repatriation process.

On Thursday, a total of 33 persons belonging to six families returned to their native State Mizoram while many others were prepared to go back but could not due to threat from the MBDPF leaders. The officials also admitted that there is a huge response from the refugees to go back to Mizoram but surprisingly they keep silence when the leaders resist them.

According to reports, altogether 309 persons belonging to 62 families have returned home so far. Out of them, 74 persons were residing at Casco and Khakchand camp in Panisagar sub-division and 235 were residing in Hezamara, Naisinghpara and Ashapara camps at Kanchanpur sub-division.

The repatriation started from October 3 and is supposed to be completed by November 30 as per a four-corner agreement signed by representatives of the Union Home Ministry, Governments of Mizoram and Tripura and the refugees. As per the agreement, the government stopped ration to the camp inmates from October 1 after giving them one month’s advance ration on September 30.

Though all arrangements were made for repatriation and the Central Government also sanctioned an amount of Rs 350 crore, the MBDPF leaders shown did a volte-face and refused to go back raising some vague demands like formation of Reang Autonomous District Council in Mizoram and alleging that proper security has not been provided to the people who have returned.

Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com