JOINT PRESS HANDOUT
The Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples' Forum (MBDPF). Mizoram Bru Indigenous Democratic Movement (MBIDM) and Bru Tribal Development Society (BTDS) have jointly organized a Press Conference at Press Club, Jaganathbari road, Agartala, Tripura on 21. 11. 2019 (Thursday) at 2: 30 PM.The main purpose of organizing this Press Conference is to make all the people understand the fact that how and why the Bru internally displaced people are reluctant to return to Mizoram and also to make a clarification on the allegation leveling against the MBDPF leaders that they made a business out of the cash - dole and ration which is being given to the IDPs since 1997 and on the one hand they pretend to support repatriation but on the other hand they sabotage the repatriation process, etc.
In the last 22 yrs there were several meetings and talks involving central government state government of Mizoram and Tripura including the leaders of MEDPF on the issue of repatriation. But, it is not seen a major development over the issue as the Government of Mizoram is extremely stick on its stand. Due to the incessant pressure from the Government of Mizoram, the MBDPF has withdrawn from its major and longstanding demands like: -
1) Creation of Autonomous District Council,
2) Reservation of at least 3 seats in the State Legislative Assembly,
3) Reservation of Government job,
4) An introduction of Primitive Tribal Group (PTG) program which is being implemented for the same tribe of Bru (Reang) in Tripura, etc.
Therefore, the MBDPF has to scale down its demands from major and have to make next alternative demands which are also still unacceptable for the Governments on following points viz:
1) Allotment of 5 hectares of land to each family for Cultivation.
2) Formation of grouping / cduster villages not less than 500 famities,
3) Staying in one concentrated district instead of spreading over in all three districts
4) Restoration of lands which was left in 1997 before displacement from Mizoram,
5) Deployment of the central Security forces for protection of repatriated families and creation of Special Police Officers (SPOs) on the pattern of Tripura under Indian Police Act 1861 & 1961 Section 17 & 18 by recruiting 70% from the Bru community to assist CAPF, 6) the proposed 30' x 40' plot for house site is to be increased to 50' x 100' / as was allotted for the BNLF returnees on the basis the MoU signed between BNLF and Govt. of Mizoram 2005, etc. But, again these demands are also not taken into consideration and the attitude of the Government of Mizoram is still remain the same.
Therefore, the MEDPF has to step down and place the alternative option as a bottom-line demands like:
1. To arrange at least 7 new resettlement villages to rearrangement of 14 resettlement villages selected by the Government of Mizoram in the towns and city of the majority people surrounded by private land and government plantation.
2. Spot visit for identification of rehabilitation centers in Mizoram by the MBDPF leaders along with all heads of the family and to construct the dwelling houses before the commencement of repatriation.
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4. Government of Mizoram should take back nearly 700 families who have been displaced from Mizoram in the third incident took place in 2009 and grant equal repatriation package. These families are completely ignored by the Government of Mizoram and excluded from the present Road Map for repatriation. They have been given only relief ration and salt by the Government of Tripura since 2009.
5. To approve and grant compensation packages for the bifurcated families who have been separated from their parental houses due to marriage and other unavoidable circumstances.
6. All the cash assistance provided by the center government should be given to the beneficiaries through DBT.
7. To give one more chance to those families approximately 1281 who did not turn up in the 2nd phase of identification conducted in July, 2019 due to unavoidable Circumstances.
8. Approximately 200 families who are not identified by the Government of Mizoram due to non - availability of Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) should also be accepted and taken back to Mizoram.
To bring about the successful repatriation and close the chapter 22 years vexed issue of the displaced Brus, the MBDPF, MBIDM and BTDS leaders net Hon'ble Chief Minister of Mizoram, Hon'ble Home Minister of Mizoram and other officers of the Central Government, State Government of Mizoram and Tripura for several times. But, unfortunately all those efforts and aspirations goes in vain since the Government authority is inexorable and intransigent.
- But, the Government of Mizoram is extremely adamant for sorted out the above mentioned legitimate demands the MBDPF, MBIDM and BTDS have to put last and final option scalling down from 8 to 2 demands such as: To resettle the displaced Brus in Dampa sanctuary as it is the places where the Brus had been living since time immemorial past before the declaration of sanctuary in 1986.
- Formation of Permanent Development Project exclusively for the Brus in Mizoram for their socio - economical, educational and political development.
In the meanime, in this critical period of repatriation moment, there are lots of allegation leveling against MBDPF leaders that they are making business out of the cash - dole and ration which has been given to the IDPs since 1997, runs a super bus from Dharmanagar to
Guwahati, owns costiy vehides and motorbike, sent children to private schools in and ahiliang, having huge amount of money 9 to 15 lakhs in Bank, on the one hand they pretend to support renatriation but on the other hand they sabotage the repatriation process, etc.
This is totally false and unfound allegation just to malign and disfigure the image of the MBDPF leaders and it is an act of those who do not want to Bru to remain in relief camps getting ine free ration and cash - dole from the Government of India through the Government of Tripura.
The MBDPF or any other Bru leaders cannot siphon the cash - dole and ration and the MBDPF has never received a sinale penny of cash money directly from the government. The ration and cash - dole has been distributing since 1997 to till date by the Government of Tripura to every head of the family by showing their relief delivery ration card and some other supporting documents for proof of their identity. The Government officials use to take the signature or thump impression of the beneficiaries in the form of 'Actual Payee Receipt (APR) duly prepared by the office of the concern Sub - Divisional Magistrate under the supervision of District Magistrate & Collector.
No Bru leaders have run the night super buses or having costly vehicles and costly motorbike. Some of their children are studying outside the state in free of cost run by Assam Rifle, Christian denominations and Hindu religious organization, no one is studying at Bhubaneswar till date and some of the children of MBDPF leaders are studying in distant education like NIOS in Kailashahar under Unukoti district, Tripura due to financial constrain. NO MBDPF leader is having huge amount of money in banks, all of them are living hand to mouth by rearing pig. chicken and asavegetable vendor apart from the relief ration and cash - dole to support their family livelihood.
Of course, the MEDPF has taken a subscription in the form of Public Voluntary Contribution (Pvc) from the inmates with the verbal permission from the Government of Tripura since 1997 and unanimously agreed by all the inmates at the public meeting conducted in each and every relief camps for incurring the carefully to travel to New Delhi and various parts of the country in order to resolve the Bru issue. for fiting a writ petition in Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, Guwahati High Court and in Agartala High Court, for lifting of ration from Government Food Storage to relief Godown, to organize various level of meetings in relief camps and with the local leaders, to run the MBDPF offices in all 7 relief camps to settle the public grievances, to run the Camp Defense Committee (CDC), Youna Bru Association (YBA) and Customary Organization (Chudry Committee) to maintain peace and tranquility inside relief camps, for frequent visits to block, Sub - Divisional and District offices for various issues related to the problems of relief camps, to extend monetary help to the needy persons, for carrying the emergency and referral patients to PHC and hospital, to postmortem for any unnatural dead cases, etc. Meanwhile, the Pvc has exempted for the widows and widowers, orphanage children, extremely poor and needy families.
It is also pertinent to mention that the ration and cash dole has been suspended since 1 Us while the repatriation process is being exercised from 3 October to 30 November, 2019. Hence, the situation make the displaced Brus to organize a blockade of road Detween Dasda to Ananadabazar from 31 - October to7 "November, 2019 for resumption of ration and cash - dole. After 8days of demonstration. The Government of Tripura has distributed ration and salt only for one month i. e. November whereas we are supposed to get from the month of october. In this context, it is very difficult to know what will be our future since the inmates are reluctant to return to Mizoram unless their hwo points demand are met by the Government of Mizoram.
It is also our fervent appeal to the Central Government to convince the Government of Mizoram to consider our two points demands for fruitful repatriation. If fall, the Government of India should find the ways and means for an amicable solution to settle somewhere in India with by transferring full rehabilitation package from Mizoram.
Therefore, we would like to appeal all the media persons to come forward and extend your helping hands for an amicable solution of the 22 years long pending issues through your esteem news papers, electronic media, youtube, whatsapp, etc. by highlighting the fact and unbiased.
(PHILIP APETO)
General Secretary,
MBIDM
(A. SAWIBUNGA)
President,
MBDPF (HO)
(VIPIN KUMAR MSHA)
President, BTDS
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Guwahati, owns costiy vehides and motorbike, sent children to private schools in and ahiliang, having huge amount of money 9 to 15 lakhs in Bank, on the one hand they pretend to support renatriation but on the other hand they sabotage the repatriation process, etc.
This is totally false and unfound allegation just to malign and disfigure the image of the MBDPF leaders and it is an act of those who do not want to Bru to remain in relief camps getting ine free ration and cash - dole from the Government of India through the Government of Tripura.
The MBDPF or any other Bru leaders cannot siphon the cash - dole and ration and the MBDPF has never received a sinale penny of cash money directly from the government. The ration and cash - dole has been distributing since 1997 to till date by the Government of Tripura to every head of the family by showing their relief delivery ration card and some other supporting documents for proof of their identity. The Government officials use to take the signature or thump impression of the beneficiaries in the form of 'Actual Payee Receipt (APR) duly prepared by the office of the concern Sub - Divisional Magistrate under the supervision of District Magistrate & Collector.
No Bru leaders have run the night super buses or having costly vehicles and costly motorbike. Some of their children are studying outside the state in free of cost run by Assam Rifle, Christian denominations and Hindu religious organization, no one is studying at Bhubaneswar till date and some of the children of MBDPF leaders are studying in distant education like NIOS in Kailashahar under Unukoti district, Tripura due to financial constrain. NO MBDPF leader is having huge amount of money in banks, all of them are living hand to mouth by rearing pig. chicken and asavegetable vendor apart from the relief ration and cash - dole to support their family livelihood.
Of course, the MEDPF has taken a subscription in the form of Public Voluntary Contribution (Pvc) from the inmates with the verbal permission from the Government of Tripura since 1997 and unanimously agreed by all the inmates at the public meeting conducted in each and every relief camps for incurring the carefully to travel to New Delhi and various parts of the country in order to resolve the Bru issue. for fiting a writ petition in Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, Guwahati High Court and in Agartala High Court, for lifting of ration from Government Food Storage to relief Godown, to organize various level of meetings in relief camps and with the local leaders, to run the MBDPF offices in all 7 relief camps to settle the public grievances, to run the Camp Defense Committee (CDC), Youna Bru Association (YBA) and Customary Organization (Chudry Committee) to maintain peace and tranquility inside relief camps, for frequent visits to block, Sub - Divisional and District offices for various issues related to the problems of relief camps, to extend monetary help to the needy persons, for carrying the emergency and referral patients to PHC and hospital, to postmortem for any unnatural dead cases, etc. Meanwhile, the Pvc has exempted for the widows and widowers, orphanage children, extremely poor and needy families.
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It is also pertinent to mention that the ration and cash dole has been suspended since 1 Us while the repatriation process is being exercised from 3 October to 30 November, 2019. Hence, the situation make the displaced Brus to organize a blockade of road Detween Dasda to Ananadabazar from 31 - October to7 "November, 2019 for resumption of ration and cash - dole. After 8days of demonstration. The Government of Tripura has distributed ration and salt only for one month i. e. November whereas we are supposed to get from the month of october. In this context, it is very difficult to know what will be our future since the inmates are reluctant to return to Mizoram unless their hwo points demand are met by the Government of Mizoram.
It is also our fervent appeal to the Central Government to convince the Government of Mizoram to consider our two points demands for fruitful repatriation. If fall, the Government of India should find the ways and means for an amicable solution to settle somewhere in India with by transferring full rehabilitation package from Mizoram.
Therefore, we would like to appeal all the media persons to come forward and extend your helping hands for an amicable solution of the 22 years long pending issues through your esteem news papers, electronic media, youtube, whatsapp, etc. by highlighting the fact and unbiased.
(PHILIP APETO)
General Secretary,
MBIDM
(A. SAWIBUNGA)
President,
MBDPF (HO)
(VIPIN KUMAR MSHA)
President, BTDS
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