KANCHANPUR / AGARTALA, May 31 (TIWN): Massive unrest by locals against Bru refugees repatriation signaled failures of earlier stop-gap arrangements. Recently, two sets of protest created turmoil in Kanchanpur amid lockdown, when locals blocked road, warning the Government about further protests. On Saturday, the Jampui hill locals sat in desperate protests, breaking lockdown and challenged the State Govt to perform indefinite road blockade if the Brus are settled in Jampui hills, which created panic in that whole area. The agitators showed banners saying, “At least you should ask us”, “Drea Tripura, you have territorised the most peaceful area in Tripura” etc. However, Chief Minister Biplab Deb although has warned against such indisciplines but the locals stayed strict their demands of “No Settlement of Brus” in Tripura.

Although, Central and two Northeast sates jointly came to the conclusion that Brus to be settled in Tripura, but such unexpected outcomes with protests and rages against Brus, signaling Govts’ failure to settle the issues properly with lots of communication gaps.

On the other side, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Tripura counterpart Biplab Kumar Deb to cancel the proposal for settlement of displaced Brus in Mizo-dominated Jampui Hills and surrounding areas in North Tripura district.

In separate letters written to Shah and Deb on May 29, Zoramthanga said the plan for rehabilitating the displaced Brus in Jampui Hills could "defeat" the very purpose and spirit of the agreement signed by the Centre, governments of Mizoram and Tripura, and representatives of Bru communities on January 16, a CMO official said on Saturday.

The chief minister said there has been ethnic tension and upheaval between Mizo and Bru communities, both in Mizoram and Tripura. Any strain between the two communities in Tripura will have repercussions in Mizoram and vice-versa.

Asking Shah and Deb to reconsider and cancel the proposal for Bru settlement in Jampui Hills, Zoramthanga said the arrangement of other appropriate locations is inevitable if the historic quadripartite agreement is to be successfully implemented in letter and spirit, according to the official in the chief minister''s office (CMO).

Zoramthanga also took to Twitter to urge Deb to resolve the issue.

"Deeply saddened by the disputes regarding resettlement of displaced Brus in areas historically belonging to minor Mizo community in Zampui Hills and surrounding Kanchanpur areas in Tripura. Kindly urging respected @BjpBiplab ji to resolve the matter with utmost care and diplomacy," he tweeted.

The Mizo communities, under the aegis of the Mizo Convention, in Jampui Hills on Friday protested the Tripura government''s move and blocked officials from surveying the areas for Bru settlement.

Tension has hit the Jumpui Hill area, as the locals came in massive protest voicing against Reang or Bru community’s settlement in their area. Recently another community staged a same protest in Kanchanpur itself, alleging Govt is depriving actual locals demands by settling Brus in Tripura amid Lockdown. After that protest, today another protest staged by the Jumpui Hill's people, who said, Jumpui Hill is their land and they will not leave an inch of it. While agitating, the protesters said that let the Brus settled down anywhere in Tripura but not in Jampui area. The protest erupted after SDM Chandi Chandran, SDPO Bikramjit Sukla Das visited the area allegedly for land-acquisition purpose. The agitators told the officials that till they are alive, they will not leave an inch land of their soil. They further warned to go in indefinite road blockade if their demands are not fulfilled. “Brus...! You are welcome to Tripura, God bless you but no settlement in Jampui”, the agitators said.

Recently, another group from local community in another area of Kanchanpur staged a similar protest. They also had same demand, “No settlement of Brus” there.

The Brus are actually from Mizoram state, living in Tripura for 2 decades, but recently in an agreement, they were allowed to stay in Tripura permanently as they were living in this state for 22 years long after a violence in Mizoram.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJNx8z_c80c&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR23f8iF7GDco0rGaK0hdCZyCM4haaHEMlWlhXDBZsrzyZxTENZLpRYs1_8  Locals blocked road demanding No Bru settlement in Jampui Hill area. TIWN YouTube Video May 30, 2020