AGARTALA, June 4 (TIWN): The day 2 verification and registration process of the ‘bru’ displaced refugees has begun on Wednesday with no refugees turned up to the registration on the first day of the process that started on Tuesday. Talking to TIWN on Wednesday ADM, Kanchanpur Ranjit Kar said, “No internally displaced bru refugees have turned up for the registration on June 2, but we are expecting positive turn out on day 2.” The joint identification process started at Kaskau camp on Tuesday followed by repatriation from June 8.

According to the officials engaged to the verification process he refugees who called themselves as ‘Brus’ are found reluctant to move to their home town Mizoram. “At first whenever a meeting was held among the officials of Mizoram govt. and state govt. here the leaders of refugees were found agreed to return back to Mizoram, but now when the verification process had started for their repatriation they are found reluctant to go back,” official told to TIWN.

As was expected despite several meetings here in Tripura taking up the issue of the repatriation of the bru refugees who are camping here at Kanchanpur, North district of the state for the last 18 years, the internally displaced refugees are found ‘reluctant’ to go back to their hometown at Mizoram. No refugees turned up for registration on day 1 verification process.

“A total of 8 Mizoram Mamit District officials under the leadership of Victor Lalam Puiya had arrived here at Dhamcharra on June 2 to start the verification process,” ADM Ranjit Kar told to TIWN.

Around 20,700 Brus, including 11,446 minors belonging to 3,455 families, were likely to be repatriated this time. Asked about the exact figure, ADM said this could be known only after the verification process ends on June 5.

However the repatriation process would begin from June 8 this year and would continue till June 12. Asked about the necessary arrangement made for the refugees to take back to Mizoram, Kar told to TIWN, “Mizoram government would bear all the costs for the transportation and others whereas the state govt. here would arrange the vehicles for them.”

The identification process the ‘bru’ refugees was undertaken after a tripartite meeting held between the officials of Mizoram government, leaders of Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum (MBDPF) and officials of Tripura government on May 15 at the Damcherra Block Development office.

However after the identification process ends the concerned officials would be send their findings report to the Mizoram Govt. and the state govt. here, said source.

The Mizoram government had asked for Rs 68.60 crore as expenses for the repatriation of which Rs 4.70 crore was already released by the Centre.

At present there are at least three camps at Dhamcharra, North District. After the talks on speeding up the process of repatriation of the Mizoram Bru refugees living in Tripura, Mizoram for the first time agreed to take back all the Bru displaced persons residing in Tripura since 1997.