Resettled Bru community in Tripura writes to HM Shah over long-pending rehabilitation issues

The resettled Bru (Reang) community in Tripura has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging urgent intervention on a series of long-pending rehabilitation demands, including allocation of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards, proper housing plots, access to centrally sponsored schemes, and an increase in ration entitlement by 5 kg per person.

The letter through the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Kanchanpur in North Tripura today, has been signed by six prominent Bru leaders  A. Sawibunga, Bruno Msha, Philip Apeto, Vipin Kumar Reang, and T. Lal Dingliana Bru, all signatories of the historic Quadripartite Bru Agreement.

Their appeal comes in solidarity with Mr. Zothanga, a member of the resettled Bru community, who has launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding justice for the community. The leaders have requested the Home Minister’s immediate attention to issues impacting thousands of Bru families now resettled in 13 locations across Tripura.

According to the letter, 6,935 out of 6,959 Bru families have been permanently resettled so far. However, several critical concerns remain unaddressed.

Among the key demands listed in the letter are implementation of AAY Cards for all resettled families along with an increase in food grain allocation by 5 kg per person to meet basic nutritional needs, legal allotment of 30x40 sq. ft. housing plots with proper registered ownership documents to ensure secure residential rights, allocation of agricultural land to every family to promote food security and livelihood sustainability, introduction of special development schemes for all 13 resettlement locations, focused on economic empowerment and infrastructure development, extension of Centrally Sponsored Schemes meant for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) to benefit Bru rehabilitees, especially in housing and infrastructure sectors.

The leaders have also highlighted the plight of over 320 left-out and split families who are still residing in camps like Naisingpara and Ashapara without access to resettlement benefits despite possessing valid documentation.

 “These families are living in distressing and uncertain conditions, without proper food, identification documents, education, or financial support. Despite being verified members of the displaced community, they are steadily losing hope,” the letter reads.

It also calls for institutional support to ensure quality healthcare and educational facilities in all the resettlement sites.

The Bru displacement crisis dates back to October 1997, when ethnic violence in western Mizoram forced over 5,000 Bru families to flee and take shelter in six relief camps in Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura.