Mizoram NGOs to meet home minister on Brus issue

Aizawl, Mar 14 (UNI) To put an end to the ongoing confusion about the surrendered Bru settlement process, NGOs in Mizoram have decided to meet Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on March 16.

Four NGOs in Mizoram, including the Young Mizo Association, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (students), the Mizo Upa Pawl (elders) and the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (women's organisation) will send their representatives.

They will leave for the national capital today.

Allegations levelled against Mizo people by Brus will be the main agenda of the representatives.

''The current state government's plan for Bru repratriation can cause demographic imbalances and also jeopardise the security of the Mizo people and the peace of the state as a whole,'' the joint forum of the NGOs said.

However, Mizoram Government has already identified five villages for resettlement of about 1,700 Bru refugee families in the first phase of repatriation.

Tuipuibari, Aampa, Tengpui and Tuirum villages would accomodate about 500 families each while the rest would be settled in Thaidawr and Tumpuang Lui.

It had also instructed the authorities of three more villages-- Bunghmun, Rengdil and Zamuang-- to prepare the groundwork to accommodate 1,300 families in the next phase.

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