Fourth phase of Bru repatriation called off

Aizawl, Jun 9 (PTI) Mizoram home minister R.Lalzirliana today said that the proposed fourth phase of Bru repatriation scheduled to commence from Tuesday next was called off to pressurise the Centre to rehabilitate 80 displaced Mizo families driven out by Brus from Sakhan range in Tripura in 1998. Announcing the government's decision here, Lalzirliana said that the decision was made after the civil society and the political parties submitted a memorandum on the issue to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram during the third week of last month. He said that he personally sought details about the displaced Mizo families who fled Tripura and the demanded amount of rehabilitation to be submitted within May, which, however could not be complied with due to the fact that the displaced people were living in different parts of the state and asked for more time till June end. Meanwhile, around 622 Bru families had returned to Mizoram out of the 890 families to be repatriated during the third phase of repatriation since the first part of April as many refugees were reluctant to return.