Mr Justice M N Venkatachaliah
Chairman
National Human Rights Commission of India
Sardar Patel Bhawan
Parliament Street
New Delhi-110001

Dear Justice Venkatachaliah,

This pertains to the complaint of the Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network (AITPN) of 27 November 1997 on the impending forcible repatriation of the Reang refugees to Mizoram by the State Government of Tripura by stopping the supply of rations.

This is to draw attention of the National Human Rights Commission to the miserable plight of over 7,000 Reang refugees have taken shelter in Hailakandi district of South Assam since October 1997 to escape from alleged atrocities committed by the Mizos. These refugees are in addition to the Reang refugees presently sheltered in Tripura.

The State Government of Assam has not provided adequate help to these Reang refugees. They have reportedly been surviving on wild vegetables and tubers. No medical relief was either provided. At least seven terminally ill refugees are languishing at the Duttapur L P School camp. Please find enclosed a press clipping as Annexure I.

The State Government of Mizoram has so far failed to take any concrete measures which will evoke confidence amongst the Reang refugees to return. Although, 4000 Reang refugees were repatriated "under duress" from Tripura, another 12,000 refugees continue to languish in Tripura. As stated in our complaint of 27 November 1997, most of the Reang refugees in Tripura fled to jungles to escape forcible repatriation. It is reported that the Reang refugees in Hailakandi are also unwilling to return.

The State Government of Mizoram failed to provide written guarantees as to the safety, security and dignity of the Reang refugees. This failure of the State Government of Mizoram to provide any guarantee and the unwillingness of the State Government of Assam and Tripura to provide rations and other medical facilities to the Reang refugees had led to the loss of life of the refugees. This constitutes the violation of the right to life under Article 21 of Indian Constitution.

The AITPN understands that the Reang refugees shall have to return to their areas but it must be on their own volition. However, there have been attempts to forcibly repatriate the Reang refugees by denying rations and other medical facilities without any guarantee as to their safety, security, dignity and liberty.

Given the impending loss of life due to the lack of medical facilities, I shall appreciate if the NHRC could direct the State Government of Tripura and the State Government of Assam to immediately provide rations and other facilities such as medical in addition to the measures requested in the complaint of 27 November 1997. The NHRC has been requested to take the following measures in the complaint of 27 October 1997:

1. Direct the State Government of Tripura not to stop supply of rations and medical facilities in an attempt to forcibly repatriate the Reang refugees to Mizoram; 

2. Direct the State Government of Mizoram to order a judicial inquiry to investigate human rights abuses which led to exodus of 12,000 Reangs and other minorities to Tripura State and that the inquiry be completed within a specified period of time to enable prosecution of the culprits; 

3. Direct the State Government of Mizoram to give written assurances to the National Human Rights Commission outlining the initiatives it seeks to undertake on the safety, security, dignity and liberty of the Reangs in particular and minorities in general within a specified time frame; 

4. Direct the State Government of Mizoram to outline its programmes to control the activities of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl activists who have been responsible for large scale attacks on the minorities including the Reangs; 

5. Direct the State Government of Mizoram to provide interim relief to the relatives of those Reangs who have been killed and those who have been subjected to rape and torture; 

6. Direct the State Government of Mizoram to provide adequate compensation to the victims whose houses have been burnt by miscreants;

7. Direct the Union Home Ministry to organize the repatriation of the Reang refugees under the protection of the Central Reserve Police Forces and deploy Central Security Forces in the Reang and Chakma inhabited areas to prevent such untoward incidents.

With respectful regards,

Yours sincerely

Suhas Chakma
Coordinator