Bru Refugees

31 Oct 2023 Bru Refugees

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “Bru refugees”. This topic has relevance in the “Social Issues” section of the UPSC CSE exam.

For Prelims:

Who are Bru refugees? 

For Mains:

GS1:  Society

Why in the news?

For the first time, Bru refugees will not vote in Mizoram elections since they have been permanently settled in Tripura through a Central government-sponsored program. 

Bru Tribe

• The Brus, also known as Reangs, are an indigenous community primarily residing in Northeast India, notably in Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam. 
• In Tripura, they hold the status of a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), a designation by the government for tribes facing heightened vulnerability within the tribal community. 
• The Brus speak the Reang dialect of the Kokborok language, which is locally referred to as Kau Bru. 
• Their Hojagiri folk dance is well-known all over the world. ‘Buisu’ is the most famous festival of the Reang tribes.

Bru-Reang Refugee Crisis

• The crisis dates back to the late 1990s when violence and ethnic tensions between the Bru and the majority Mizos led to the displacement of thousands of Bru people from Mizoram state.
• The Bru-Reang Refugee Crisis has fueled since 1997, with over 40,000 Brus taking refuge in six camps in northern Tripura’s Kanchanpur sub-division following ethnic violence in neighbouring Mizoram. 
• These refugee camps were initially intended to be temporary, but due to the protracted nature of the crisis, the displaced population has remained in these camps for over two decades.

Rehabilitation of Brus

• In June 2018, leaders of the Bru camps agreed with the Centre and the two state governments to enable repatriation to Mizoram. However, many camp residents rejected the terms of the agreement, citing concerns about their safety in Mizoram.
• Subsequently, a quadripartite agreement was inked in January 2020, involving the Centre, the state governments of Tripura and Mizoram, and representatives of the Bru-Reang community. This agreement was designed to facilitate the permanent settlement of Bru refugees in Tripura.
• According to the terms of this pact, each refugee family is entitled to receive a designated plot of land, a fixed deposit of Rs. 4 lakh, complimentary rations, and a monthly stipend of Rs. 5,000 for two years. Additionally, each family will receive Rs. 1.5 lakh for the construction of their houses.

Sources: For the first time, Bru refugees to have no participation in Mizoram Assembly polls – The Hindu 

Download Yojna daily current affairs eng med 31st Oct 2023

Q1. With reference to Bru Tribe, consider the following statements: 

1. They are an indigenous tribe primarily residing in Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam.
2. Bihu is the most famous festival of the Reang tribes.
3. The recent agreement facilitated the permanent settlement of Bru refugees in Mizoram.

Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only 

(d) None 

Answer: (b) 

Q2. Consider the following:

1. Post- Agricultural Technology
2. Stagnant or Increasing Population
3. Extremely Low Literacy
4. Subsistence Economy

How many of the characteristics of a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) are mentioned above?

(a) Only one 

(b) Only two 

(c) Only three 

(d) All four

Answer: (b)

Gaurav N