Bru tribal refugees to settle in Tripura, representatives sign deal with centre & state govt

Over 30,000 Bru tribals have been living in Tripura since 1997. The pact was signed in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Home Minister Amit Shah with Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb (R) and Mizoram CM Zoramthanga (L) during signing of an agreement for permanent settlement of displaced Bru tribals in Tripura, in New Delhi on 16 January. | PTI photo

New Delhi: More than 30,000 displaced Bru tribals from Mizoram, who have been living as refugees in Tripura since 1997, will permanently settle in Tripura and a tripartite agreement was signed in this effect Thursday.

The agreement was signed by representatives of Bru and the central and Mizoram and governments in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah here at North Block.

Under the pact, over 30,000 Bru tribals will live in Tripura permanently, Shah said.

The Bru tribals have been living in Tripura in different relief camps after they fled Mizoram in 1997 following ethnic clashes between Bru and Mizo communities.

An agreement signed in July 2018 for repatriation of the Bru tribals to Mizoram did not materialise as majority of the community members refused to go back to Mizoram.