Ethnic woes to end in Mizoram after 9 yrs

Aizawl, Oct 24 (UNI) Exactly after nine years of Reang repatriation the deadlock is now all set end, with Bru (reang) militants agreeing to surrender before the Mizoram authorities.

A total of 797 BLFM will surrrender at Tuipuibari in the state on October 27 before Home Ministry officials, besides Mizoram and Tripura representatives.

Official sources said recently the Mizoram government agreed to take back 25,000 Reang refugees presently sheltered in six camps at North Tripura district.

''As per the agreement reached between the rebels and the Zoramthanga administration, a team of Mizoram police along with Assam Rifles carried out search operations in the camps and recovered about 70 firearms and explosives along with a few BLFM cadres,'' said Superintendent of Police CID, Mizoram, Mr Lal Dhina.

The surrender will take place only after a thorough scrutiny of their identity, he added.

The BLFM had earlier submitted a 16-point charter of demands including formation of an autonomous body for the reangs and 10 per cent reservation for the ethnic group to Mizoram government.

It said the Mizoram government has agreed to provide the surrenderees Rs 40,000 each and free ration for one year but there was no assurance so far about the main demand-- Autonomous District council.

The Reang tribes left Mizoram and took shelter in six camps at Kanchanpur subdivision in North Tripura following fierce ethnic violence between the minority Reangs and majority Lushais (Mizos) on October 14 1997.

The communal violence erupted in Mizoram as the Reangs raised demanded a separate autonomous council for them besides several other issues.

At one point of time there were about 41,000 displaced Reangs in North Tripura camps and within a year, Reang militancy began with a section of displaced youths taking up arms and creating terror in Mizoram territory.

the Mizoram government were under pressure from powerful Mizo NGOs who were reluctant to take back the refugees.

UNI BB_SNR BA SAM DS1410