annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Mizoram
reprimanded and prematurely dismissed
from service.” 7
III. Atrocities by the armed
opposition groups
The main armed opposition group in
the State is the Bru National Liberation
Front (BNLF), Hmar Democratic
Covention and Bru Liberation Front of
Mizoram, a breakaway faction of the
BNLF. There are also reports of presence
of many armed opposition groups from
neighbouring Burma.
On 30 January 2004, suspected
members of the Bru Liberation Front of
Mizoram (BLFM) reportedly abducted 22year-old
Helia, son of a village council
President of Tuipuibari village when he
and two friends had gone for fishing.
Helia’s friends were, however, released
later. Helia was reportedly held by the
BLFM. 8 The BLFM reportedly demanded
Rs 5 lakhs as ransom. However, Helia was
reportedly released on 2 March 2004
unconditionally. 9
IV. The Bru crisis
Despite reported assurance of Chief
Minister Zoramthanga to the then Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 20
January 2004 during the meeting of all
Chief Ministers of the North-Eastern states
in New Delhi to take back the Bru
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
sheltered in Tripura within two months 10 ,
Chief Minister Zoramthanga failed to take
any initiative at the end of the year. Over
35,000 Reang IDPs who fled their homes
in Mizoram following ethnic violence in
October 1997 continued to languish in six
refugee camps at Naisingpara, Ashapara,
Hazacherra, Kaskaspara, Khakchang and
Hasnapara in North Tripura district.
The Reang IDPs have been living in
deplorable conditions. They have been
suffering epidemics and malnutrition due
to insufficient and delayed supply of
ration, medical and other relief materials.
While displaced Kashmiri Pandits from
Jammu and Kashmir receive Rs 750 per
person, an adult Bru receives Rs. 2.67 a
day and a minor received half of it.
Rations are often delayed and denied.
Children and women are the worst affected
in the absence of medical, drinking water
and sanitary facilities. Hundreds have
died. With no schools and jobs for the
IDPs and their children, many have been
suffering from trauma and psychiatric
problems. 11
The armed opposition group, BNLF
demanded Autonomous District Council for
the Brus to be carved out the North Western
parts of the state. During the negotiations in
2003, the BNLF, however, reduced its
demand from Regional Council to Bru Area
Development Council to resolve the crisis.
Yet, little progress has been made despite
holding 12 rounds of dialogue at the end of
2004 primarily due to recalcitrant stand of
the State government. The political parties,
YMA and MZP have been opposing the
return of the Bru IDPs.
The Mizoram government is
reportedly ready to accept only 12,000
IDPs out of an estimated 35,000. 12 In
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