Ration stopped again for Bru refugees in Tripura camps

The ration supply for over 32,000 Bru displaced persons have been stopped again even as no decision has been taken yet about their resettlement in Tripura instead of repatriation to Mizoram.

The ration supply was stopped from Sunday, a day after the Centre's deadline for repatriation of the Bru refugees ended. Only 171 of more than 4,000 displaced families could be send back to Mizoram during the ninth and final phase of repatriation between October 3 to November 30.

"The ration supply has been stopped as per the official order to discontinue the same after November 30, the deadline for their repatriation. On November 7, we received another letter in which we were asked to continue ration till November 30. We have received no instruction after that," sub-divisional magistrate of Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district, Abhedananda Baidya told DH on Monday.

Nearly 4,000 families are living in camps in Kanchanpur alone. Some others are living in Panisagar sub-division.

The Brus or Reangs have been living in at least six relief camps in the district since they fled their villages in Mizoram following an ethnic strife in 1997. The government had set November 30 as the deadline for repatriation of the displaced people as per a rehabilitation package but most of them refused to go back citing security concerns in Mizoram. Tripura government had stopped ration supply last month, during which at least six inmates died allegedly due to a shortage of food.

Tripura government said it was ready to resettle them in Tripura if the ministry of home affairs provided financial support. But halting of ration supplies again even before a final decision regarding their resettlement has surprised the camp members.