AGARTALA, June 20 (TIWN): Thirty-two thousand people violently displaced in ethnic clashes in Mizoram have been living in miserable conditions in seven makeshift camps in neighbouring Tripura for over a decade. Despite having documents to prove their citizenship, the Mizoram government doesn’t seem to want them back.

Once identified residents of Mizoram, turned refugee in the land of Tripura following an ethnic violence.

As many as 32,000 people of the Reang tribe, who have crossed over from Mizoram to Tripura since 1997 following atrocities committed against them allegedly by Mizos, are stranded in seven camps in North Tripura. Their lives are full of uncertainties; a political solution to their problems is nowhere in sight yet spending life just to live.  

Over 32 thousand Bru refugees currently live in seven refugee camps in North Tripura district. Scarce amenities mark their lives as they refuse government initiatives to be repatriated. They say the government has not fulfilled the promises of proper rehabilitation to the returned Brus. Committees representing the refugees have also been known to discourage and even obstruct the camp inmates to return to their homeland.

As an observance of World Refugee Day on June 20, they hope to return to their land soon.

Naisinghpara in the Kanchanapur sub-division of north Tripura district bordering Mizoram is the abode of this Bru refugee. These camps are made from bamboo and straw collected from the surrounding forests. Families of five to seven huddle in a single room. Life is miserable; they shiver in winter, and sweat in summer. There is no electricity in the camp, light from the fire flames are their source of getting rid from darkness.

According to the sub-divisional magistrate of Kanchanpur, one adult is allotted 600 grams of rice and Rs 5 per day; minors get half this amount, 25gram of salt for the adults and younger ones get 12.5garm, oil worth  20rs are provided to them on monthly basis. Clothes are distributed to everyone once a year.

Sitting in these seven camps of Naisingpara, Asha para, Hezachara, Naisaupara (Nabajyotipara), kachkau para, Hamsapara these refugees still today look with a hope to return to their land where they will get an identity and the taboo of “refugee” would become a past.

The Union Home Ministry’s Joint Secretary in charge of the northeast, Satyendra Garg, who arrived in Agartala, visited the Bru refugee camp located in the Naisinghpara of North Tripura district and asked the refugees to return to their homes and lead a normal life as the Mizoram government is willing to take the responsibility of their ration and rehabilitation at their native land. However, the Bru leader Bruno expressed dissatisfaction over the proposal of Garg and asked for better rehabilitation programs.