A dawn-to-dusk strike paralyzed normal life in Kanchanpur sub-division in North Tripura today. The strike was called by Joint Movement Committee – a platform floated by local Bengali people, Nagarik Surakhsha Manch and Mizo Convention of Tripura. JMC called the strike protesting against mass rehabilitation of Bru refugees in the sub-division. Leaders of JMC alleged the government overlooked repeated petitions being made by the JMC opposing mass the settlement of the Brus in Kanchanpur region. Today’s strike crippled normal life in the sub-division. Vehicles were off the road and roads wore a deserted look today.
Notably, JMC suggested that maximum 500 families could be settled in the Kanchanpur sub-division citing multiple reasons and continuing agitations for long time. However, as the Government now plans to re-habilitate 4600 Bru families in the sub-division, resentment, once again, becomes palpable resulting today’s strike. In addition to the 12-hour strike, JMC also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
“We the undersigned, on behalf of the Bengali and Mizo communities of Kanchanpur Sub-Division would like to express our shock and disappointment with the proposed settlement of 4600 families of Mizoram Bru migrants within Kanchanpur Sub-Division. This proposal from the government grossly contradicts our proposal that we have submitted to the Chief Secretary on 23rd July 2020 during our video-conference meeting with him”, the memorundum addressing the Chief Minister said.
The JMC further mentioned in the memorandum further, “We would like to re-emphasize that in principle we are not against the Quadrilateral Bru Settlement Agreement signed in New Delhi on 16th January 2020. In fact, we congratulate and welcome the Agreement. However, we are still maintaining our logical stand that equitable distribution of families in all the Districts and Sub-Divisions is critically important to avoid NEGATIVE social, cultural, political, environmental and ecological impacts it can have on our Kanchanpur Sub-Division. We, therefore, maintain our stand that maximum 500 families are settled in Kanchanpur Sub-Division in the specific places that we have mentioned in our previous proposal, namely Sakhan Hills, Bandarima, Chaigarhpur. Pushporampara and Kalarambari”, the letter added.
The organization also demanded an immediate resettlement package for the 81 Mizo and 650 Bengali families that were rendered homeless in the year 2000 followed by violence launched by the Brus.
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“We also demand a resettlement package for 81 displaced families from 6 mizo villages 650 displaced Bengali families from ten (10) Bengali villages in the year 2000. It is our prayer and hope that you will look into our request and give serious consideration it deserves.”
Talking about future plan, Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau, Chairman, Joint Movement Committee said, “We will wait for our government to take a positive recourse within a week. If we do not receive a favourable response to our demands, more protests and will follow, including subdivisional wide indefinite bandh”.
