Repatriation of Bru refugees not likely to resume this month

Aizawl, Jan 21 (PTI) Repatriation of Bru refugees, lodgedin six relief camps in North Tripura district, was not likelyto be resumed during this month, sources in the Mizoram homedepartment said here today.

The sources said that, though identification of severalBru families in the relief camps have been completed, a seriesof hurdles have prevented the officials from resumption of therepatriation process.

"We have to conduct identification of the 221 familieswho recently returned to Mizoram on their own whether theywere bona fide residents of the state and also have to lookafter their free rations and disbursement of theirrehabilitation and resettlement money," an official said.

The state-wide launching of the New Land Use Policy(NLUP), the flagship programme of the present Congressgovernment on January 14 last and the coming Republic Daycelebration also fully engaged the officials of Mamit districtadministration as the third phase of the repatriation, likethe first two phases, would see resettlement of therefugees in this district.

During the first and second phase of repatriation,which commenced from November three last, 101 Bru families hadreturned and 221 families returned on their own later afterthe state government called off the process due to obstructionfrom the anti-repatriation elements amongst the refugees.

The state government has been planning to conduct thethird phase of repatriation from mid-January, but failed tomaterialise it due to different problems.

The government earlier proposed that 450 Bru familieswould return during the third phase, 150 families a day forthree appointed days.

Earlier, the Union Home Ministry has announced that allthe six relief camps in Tripura would be closed down duringMarch 2011 and all the facilities provided in the camps,including free rations for the refugees would be withdrawn toensure that all of them return to their respective nativestates.