Tripura: Villagers block road protesting Bru rehabilitation
The proposed Bru re-settlement under Kanchanpur sub-division in Tripura came under villagers’ resistance, once again. Local people of area under Laljhuri block prevented one Forest Beat Officer from identifying the area for Bru rehabilitation on October 1 and on Sunday, staged a road blockade opposing resettlement of Bru people at Rampara and Bikaram Joy Para under Kanchanpur sub-division.
Notably, several organizations under the banner of Joint Movement Committee are opposing the Government’s plan to rehabilitate the Bru Reang refugee of Mizoram in areas under Kanchanpur in North Tripura. Bru Reang people fled adjoining their native place in Mizoram 23 years ago following ethnic strife and took shelter in relief camps in North Tripura. An agreement was signed in January this year, in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to end the 23-year-old crisis by rehabilitating over 34,000 refugees, from 5,400 families, of the Reang community, locally called "Bru", in different places of Tripura, including Kanchanpur and other palces in North Tripura, where they had migrated in 1997 from Mizoram following ethnic conflict.
In a delayed report, it was learnt that residents of Nandigram Para under Lal Jhuri Block prevented a government staff in carrying out ‘identification’ process. Sources said, “Forest Beat Officer under the Block, Ratan Das got a government order mentioning that Bru Reang refugees would be re-settled the area. He was assigned the duty of marking trees in the area where Brus would be re-settled.”
Accordingly Ratan Das went to the area and started marking the trees. However local people of the area gheroaed him on October 1 last and prevented him from marking the trees.
“Being surrounded by villagers, he contacted Police through the Ranger. Large contingent of Police led by SDPO Vikramjit Sukla Das rescued Ratan Das from the clutches of villagers”, local sources said.
Police arrested one person – Premananda Nath in this connection and produced him before Kanchanpur Court. The Court rejected the bail petition of Nath on Saturday.
Meanwhile, miffed over Government’s plan to resettle Bru refugees in the area and refusal over bail plea of Nath, local people blocked the Kanchanpur-Balebasa road today. The agitators vehemently opposed plan to rehabilitate Bru Reang refugees at Rampara and Bikram Joy Para under Kanchanpur sub-division and demanded withdrawal of the plan. The agitators also protested against refusal of bail plea of Nath.
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