Mizoram govt between hammer

Aizawl, Apr 20 (UNI) The Mizoram government is between the hammer and the anvil when it comes to rehabilitating the 'displaced' Brus, with the Centre's ''Do-it-now'' and the state's pressure groups' ''Don't-do-it''.

''We are not in a position to refuse to give rehabilitation funds to the Brus,'' Mizoram Home secretary C Ropianga said today. He was justifying the state government's decision to continue to give rehabilitation grants to the 'displaced' Brus despite stiff opposition from Mizoram's four most powerful NGOs - YMA, MZP, MHIP and MUP.

''We would rather remain silent over the criticism from the NGOs and bear the blame. Someday their (the NGOs) anger will die down and then they will understand,'' he added.

''Rehabilitating the Brus is the Centre's directives, which sanctioned the money and is monitoring us,'' the Home secretary said. ''At the same time, the Brus are threatening to go back underground if we deny them rehabilitation. So, we have no choice,'' Ropianga added.

What the pressure groups have been opposing to is 'rehabilitating non-citizens of Mizoram'. On this, the Home secretary said, ''Whether or not the surrendered militants are our citizens is not our lookout. Our duty is to hand them what the Centre had sanctioned for them. The non-Mizos may go back to their original places after getting the rehabilitation grants. We will release the non-citizens at Damcherra, from where they will head for wherever they like.'' The Home secretary further said that the prevailing peace in the western parts of Mizoram, once disturbed by Bru insurgency, is the result of the state government's efforts.

UNI