Bru Community’s Uprising: Unfulfilled Resettlement Promises Spark Intense Assam-Agartala Highway Blockade
Over 100 members of the Bru or Reang community have blockaded the Assam-Agartala National Highway (NH-08) in Tripura’s Dhalai District, demanding the establishment of new Village Committees and the allocation of agricultural land across 13 resettlement sites in Ambassa. The protesters, who have caused extensive traffic disruptions since the morning, assert that these measures were part of a 2020 agreement for their permanent resettlement.
An agitator explained that the government had promised 5 hectares of agricultural land for each family and the formation of separate Village Committees; however, these commitments remain unfulfilled. Another protester noted that while some families have been allocated land, a majority have not. Protesters accuse the administration of neglect, despite multiple attempts to raise the issue.
The protest roots back to ethnic tensions in 1997 when approximately 30,000 Bru-Reang tribals fled Mizoram for Tripura, settling in temporary camps. Efforts for their rehabilitation began earnestly in 2010, with the Government of India supporting the Tripura and Mizoram state governments. An agreement in 2018 increased aid to these refugees, resulting in some returning to Mizoram. However, many express concern about security in Mizoram and prefer resettling in Tripura.
The blockade underlines ongoing tensions and unaddressed demands within the Bru community, amid broader conversations about settlement agreements and regional security dynamics. As the protest continues, it highlights the urgency of resolving long-standing grievances related to land allocation and community governance, crucial for the lasting settlement of the displaced Bru-Reang families.
Original Story https://www.indiatodayne.in/tripura/video/tripura-bru-community-blocks-assam-agartala-highway-over-pending-resettlement-promises-1129412-2024-11-29?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2024-11-29 16:48:00
