Third phase of Bru repatriation from Friday

Aizawl, Apr 6 (PTI) The third phase of the stalled repatriation of Bru refugees from neighbouring Tripura would commence from Friday when 890 Bru families would return to Mizoram in a process that would take almost a month, Mamit district Superintendent of Police H. Sangawia today said. Sangawia told PTI over phone from Mamit, on the Mizoram-Tripura border, that a meeting held under the chairmanship of the district Deputy Commissioner Zothankhuma today decided that the repatriation would begin from April 8 and continue till May 6.

"The refugees would hire vehicles at their own expenses and would be reimbursed by the state government after returning to Mizoram, " he said. Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) of Kawrthah and Block Development Officer of Zawlnuam would go to the relief camps to supervise the repatriation, he said adding that those repatriated would be first brought to Kanhmun village from where they would be taken to the villages where they would be resettled.He said that the number of refugees to be repatriated from six relief campsin Tripura was 4,490 and they would be resettled in 22 villages in Mamit district.

"We intend to repatriate them twice a week and expect to complete the process by May 6," he added. The decision to go ahead with the repatriation came after Naisingpara, the largest relief camp, was devastated by a fire on March 19 killing 17 people and gutting more than 3,000 houses.

The state government said it would be better to repatriate them without reconstructing their houses in the camps and allow them to construct their houses in their respective villages in Mamit district with the resettlement money to be disbursed after returning to Mizoram.