| More than 2000 Reangs cross over in past 36 hours | ||
Agaratala, Nov. 21 : Altogether 2,220 Reang tribesmen belonging to 487 families have taken shelter in the refugee camps in Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura in the past 36 hours amidst indications that those sheltered in Hailakandi district of Assam will also head for Tripura camps as bona fide refugees. Despite Mizoram health minister Lalhingriana Sailo and Assembly Speaker Romaoia’s visit to Jampui hills on Tuesday, and the telephone discussion between chief minister Manik Sarkar and Union home minister P. Chidambaram, there has been no let-up in influx. Sources here said the actual number of refugees in the latest round of influx since November 13 “must have crossed 6,000 already” though officially 2,230 Reangs belonging to 487 families had registered in the camps at Damcherra, Dashda and Jampi blocks in Kanchanpur subdivision. “Many more people have not checked into the camps and have been living either with relatives or in the open over the past few days. The situation is worsening day by day,” said Kanchanpur sub-divisional officer Uttam Chakma. He said a section of the Reangs who had entered Hailakandi subdivision in Assam has returned to Mizoram but the rest were heading to Tripura for food and shelter. “We have come to know that only 12 families have stayed back in Hailakandi but more than 30 are on their way to Tripura, trekking the hills,” Chakma said. The president of the Mizoram Displaced Bru Peoples Forum, Elvis Chorkhy, blamed the Mizo leaders and their supporters for the influx. Chorkhy said the Mizoram health minister and the Speaker had come to meet and assure the small Mizo population in Jampui hills of their support and efforts to protect them. “They spoke to a few Reang refugees in Saboal camp and said the families who had lost their homes in the arson would be given Rs 10,000 compensation on their return to Mizoram but said nothing on security. They did not even give any commitment that the Reangs would be given police protection on return to their state,” said Chorkhy. He also described the killing of a Mizo youth on November 13 as a planned conspiracy to preempt the repatriation of Reang refugees that was to commence from November 16. “Unless the majority of Mizos and their government changes their attitude, no solution to the problem will be possible,” added Chorkhy. |
