Reangs Refugees Vow ‘Fight to Finish’

Agartala, Feb 17 : The Reang refugees from Mizoram, stranded in six North Tripura camps over the past 13 years, have decided to “fight to the finish” for the unconditional release of one of their leaders arrested by Mizoram police last month.

The leaders of the Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum have also accused Mizoram police of conspiracy to derail talks over repatriation.

The president of the forum, Elvis Chorkhy, described the arrest of its vice-president, R. Laldongliana, as a “pre-planned conspiracy”. ‘

“We are prepared for a long struggle. Unless Laldongliana is released unconditionally and the charge of murder against him is withdrawn, we will fight to the finish,” Chorky said, speaking from the sub-divisional town of Kanchanpur bordering Mizoram. Leaders of the forum, supported by inmates of the six camps, have decided to launch an agitation to press for the unconditional release of Laldongliana.

Recounting the incidents prior to Laldongliana’s arrest, Chorkhy said a Mizo youth was murdered by unknown assailants in Bungthuang village under Mammith district on November 13, 2009.

The Mizos held the Reangs responsible for the killing and set a large number of Reang households ablaze. This set off an exodus of several hundred Reang families.

In a new twist to the incident, Mizoram police arrested Laldongliana, who had gone to Mammith on personal work, in connection with the murder on January 23. After initial incarceration in Mammith town, Laldongliana was shifted to Aizawl central jail following rejection of his bail pleas.

Chorkhy said Laldongliana was in a refugee camp on the day of the murder. “The police had no clue to the identity of the killers and they simply tried to save face by pinning R. Laldongliana down with the case,” he alleged.

A new uncertainty has been created over the repatriation of Reang refugees despite promises made by Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawala early last month because of a speech by leaders of Young Mizo Association (YMA) in a meeting in the Jampui Hills.

Speaking at the meeting, the group’s finance secretary J. Lalsailova, said all the Reang “who are genuine residents of Mizoram” could peacefully go back to the state. He also said volunteers of YMA would help the “genuine Reangs” in rehabilitation.

But the YMA leader’s speech has been interpreted as a “new tactics” by Mizos to resist timely repatriation.

Chorkhy said all the inmates of camps were genuine residents of Mizoram and by raising the “bogey of genuine residents” Mizo leaders of parties and organisations were merely trying to confuse the issue and stall the process.