Sangh Samachar RSS expresses concern over Reangs? plight

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The Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) of the RSS expresses its feeling of deep anguish over the fact that even after the incidents of inhuman atrocities and barbaric uprooting of the Reangs in Mizoram by some extremist outfits were brought to the notice of the governments of Mizoram, Tripura, Assam as also the Government of Bharat, six long years ago by organisations like Bru National Union, Young Bru Association and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, no concrete steps have been taken to ameliorate their sufferings and get them rehabilitated in their original villages in Mizoram.

The second largest Janjati community called Bru (Reang) of Mizoram has been the target of attacks by intolerant religious fundamentalist groups like MZP ( Mizo Zirlai Pawl) belonging to Mizo, the largest Janjati community of the state. In 1997, out of a total population of about seven lakh in the state, the population of the Reangs was estimated to be between 85,000 and 100,000. But they were systematically discriminated against, persecuted for long years and thrown out of Mizoram mainly during the barbaric violence that took place in September 1997. Unfortunately, the government of Mizoram either remained a silent spectator or appeared like patronising the killers during the violence. As a result, about 50,000 Reangs have fled their villages in Mizoram to neighbouring Tripura and Assam. About 35,000 are still living in the seven refugee camps in Kanchanpur sub-division of Tripura.

The living conditions of the refugees in the camps are hopelessly poor. Basic needs and amenities like food, education, drinking water, medical care, sanitation, etc. are not at all adequate. Only the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and a few other social service organisations came forward to give succour and provide relief to the oppressed and uprooted Reangs. The ABPS is of the view that the print and electronic media have ignored the incidents of atrocities as well as uprooting and displacement of the Reang people. The so-called human rights activists and many political parties have maintained a mysterious silence over these condemnable incidents. They have not even taken note of the fact that the names of about 20,000 eligible Reang voters had been removed from the voters? lists of Mizoram.

Although the National Human Rights Commission acted belatedly, it conceded in its report that the atrocities were actually committed and that the Reangs are the lawful inhabitants of Mizoram. The Commission has also recommended that it is incumbent upon the Mizoram government to bring back all Bru refugees and rehabilitate them properly.

The ABPS demands that all the displaced and uprooted Reangs must be rehabilitated in their original villages with proper protection, their names must be restored in the voters? lists and the living conditions in the present refugee camps must be improved as an interim measure.

Considering various aspects related to this problem, the ABPS calls upon the government of Bharat and the government of Mizoram to immediately come forward to arrange for due protection to the Reangs by constituting proper administrative instruments, like the Reang Development Hill Council.