Fresh stir threat against Reang Refugees repatriation

A Correspondent

Agartala: Tension is brewing in Kanchnpur, a sub-division under North Tripura District bordering Mizoram, over growing demand for repatriation of the Reang refugees who came from Mizoram two decades ago. The newly-formed Kanchanpur Nagarik Suraksha Manch has already held a largely attended convention and decided to go for a large scale movement from January 10 if their 11-point charter of demands is not fulfilled.

The Reang refugees are residing in six camps for the last 22 years but the local people turned against them after some recent incidents when the refugees attacked nearby habitations forcing several thousands homeless. Some of them returned home but several hundred are still residing in camps. Those who returned home are living in constant fear.

Local residents of several villages were evicted from several habitations to give space to the refuges two decades ago who are yet to get any relief or rehabilitation. Recently, other people facing the same fate forced them to demand for repatriation of the refugees. The Suraksha Manch demands that all these families should be given adequate relief and land allotment.

Most significantly, they have demanded that 2,76, 480 sq ft land of the Swasti Samabay Samity and all the non-tribal inhabited villages should be released from Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, a permanent camp of the Central Security Force should be established at Ananda Bazar and 10 camps of security forces in the adjoining villages.

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