Reangs flee Mizoram

Agartala/Silchar, Nov. 16: The trickle of Reang families fleeing Mizoram has turned into an exodus overnight, with thousands of tribals pouring into Tripura and Assam seeking sanctuary.

Official sources in Agartala and Silchar said the number of Reang refugees who had entered Tripura and Assam over the past two days had now crossed the 5,000 mark. There were also signs of communal tension in the Mizo-dominated Jampui and Sakhantang hills of North Tripura, forcing the authorities to tighten security around all 10 Mizo-dominated villages.

The 35,000 Reang refugees stranded in the six camps close to Jampui hills in Kanchanpur subdivision organised rallies near their camps in Dashda, Naisingpara, Khakchang, Ananda Bazar, Monpui and Shashadhar Roajapara, condemning the “organised attacks” on their tribesmen in Lokicherra, Kwartha, Kawnpui and other areas of Mamit district.

In a rally this morning at Ananda Bazar, Elvis Chorkhy, president of the Mizoram Displaced Bru People’s Forum, charged the Lalthanhawla government with “aiding and abetting” the anti-Reang rioters to prevent the repatriation of refugees stranded in the six camps of North Tripura since October 15, 1997. They burnt an effigy of state home minister R. Lalzirliana to condemn his alleged role in the attacks.

The superintendent of police (North), Dipak Kumar, who is camping in Jampui hills, said security had been tightened in all Mizo-dominated villages. He said shortly after the killing of Zarjo Kima, an 18-year-old Mizo, in Bungthuam village on Friday, leaders of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and Young Bru Association had held a meeting and decided to work together to maintain peace.

The YMA also distributed relief materials among the Reangs who have entered villages bordering Kanchanpur subdivision over the past couple of days.

“No untoward incident has occurred as the Reangs and Mizos have been living side by side in Jampui for more than a century. The trouble is likely to be caused by new entrants,” Kumar said.

The district magistrate (North), Samarjit Bhowmik, who visited the villages affected by influx this morning, said more than 5,000 Reangs had trickled into Vellian Chip, Monpui, Damcherra, Saboal, Ananda Bazar and Khakchang village. In Assam, 132 Reangs crossed the inter-state border and took shelter in Cheragi village under Karimganj district.