Bengali, Mizo groups protest against settlement of Bru migrants in Tripura

The joint action committee (JAC) comprising local Bengali and Mizo-based organizations of Kanchanpur in North Tripura district held dawn-to-dusk strike protesting against permanent rehabilitation of Bru migrants in Kanchanpur.

The strike was peaceful. No violence was reported and no picketer was detained,” said Kanchanpur sub divisional magistrate Chandni Chandran.

The shutdown, observed from 6 AM, was called by Joint Movement Committee (JMC) - a conglomeration of Jampui Hill Mizo Convention and Kanchanpur Nagarik Surakha Mancha - who refused to accept more than 500 of the total 4,900 displaced Bru families in the sub-division.

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The roads in Kanchanpur and parts of North Tripura district were deserted as shops and government offices had their shutters down due to the shutdown. The road leading to Jampui hills, a major tourist destination, was closed by protesters with bamboo poles and picketers organised bike rallies, making rounds across the sub-division.

Reangs or Brus are the second largest ethnic group in Mizoram. Their exodus in 1997 to Tripura was spurred by violent clashes in Mamith subdivision, a Reang-dominated area in Mizoram, when they demanded creation of an autonomous council that was vehemently opposed by Mizo groups.

After signing the agreement in January this year, the Centre had sanctioned around ₹ 600 crore as a settlement package and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced a 40x30 ft area plot to build a house, ₹ 4 lakh as fixed deposit, financial aid of ₹ 5,000 per month along with free ration supply for the next two years to all the Bru families. To build houses, an amount of ₹ 1.5 lakh will also be provided to every family. The JMC supports the settlement packages and all these benefits to the Bru families.

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