Brus to boycott repatriation

Aizawl, Nov 7 (PTI) Bru refugees, lodged in Tripura relief camps, today said they would not accept the proposal of the Centre and the Mizoram government for their repatriation.

Leader of Bru Displaced People's Forum (BDPF) Elvis Chorky said the decision to boycott the repatriation, scheduled to commence from November 16, was taken as the Centre and the Mizoram government refused to accept their long-standing demands.

The Bru leaders had demanded that they should be given Rs 50,000 as against proposed Rs 20,000 for rehabilitation and Rs 38,000 per family for resettlement after repatriation.

Also, the Rs 33 crore special development Central package should be used strictly for Bru areas.

Meanwhile, Mizoram government said all Brus who have been identified as bona fide residents of Mizoram and holding electoral photo identity cards can return to the state from mid-November and further identification process would be taken up later.