Tripura to hold Census in 15 days for number of Bru refugees

New Delhi: Tripura government will hold a census within 15 days to ascertain the number of Bru refugees and provide them land for resettlement, officials said after the state signed a revised 'four-corner agreement' to resolve the 22-year-old refugee crisis. The pact was signed by representatives of the Bru community, Union home minister Amit Shah, Tripura CM Biplab Deb and Mizoram CM Zoramthanga on Thursday. As per an estimate, there are over 34,000 Bru tribals in Tripura since 1997 following ethnic clashes between Bru and Mizo communities in Mizoram.

This is the second time an accord has been signed to resolve the crisis. The earlier pact signed in July 2018 with Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Association (MBDPA) could not be implemented as most refugees were not willing to go back to Mizoram. “Under the previous agreement, only 328 families moved to Mizoram,” Shah said. The revised accord proposes to resettle them in Tripura and provides for a small plot of land to each family, grant of tribal status, voting rights and a one-time financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to be kept as fixed deposit in the name of the head of the family.

Further, the state government will provide free ration for two years and a monthly assistance of Rs 5,000 for each family. Identity documents like ration cards, Aadhaar will be issued by Tripura government. The Mizoram government will be responsible for repatriated Bru refugees who were identified and verified as per the 1997 electoral rolls of Mizoram. MBDPA general secretary Bruno Msha told ET: “We have been trying for repatriation (to Mizoram) for the last 22 years, but there was no solution. The compelling situation bound the Bru people to resettle in Tripura.”