AITPN urges 10% cut from Mizoram's budget to resolve the Reang crisis

The Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network (AITPN), a coalition of indigenous and tribal peoples in Asia, today urged the National Human Rights Commission of India to direct the Union Government of India to cut 10% of the budgetary allocation from the State Government of Mizoram and award the same to the State Government of Tripura for disbursement to the Reangs. The Reangs constitute about 10% of the total population of Mizoram. Over 40,000 Reangs fled from Mizoram in October 1997 and took shelter in Tripura and Assam to escape from atrocities such as killing, rape, molestation and destruction of churches and temples. The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) members, in league with the Mizoram Police perpetrated these atrocities.

The National Human Rights Commission has called for a hearing on the issue at Agartala with the Chief Secretaries of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram and the complainants on the problems of the Reangs of Mizoram at Civil Secretariat today. The AITPN made a written submission through its report, Justice Delayed and Denied: The case of the Reangs of Mizoram on the basis of its findings in May 1999. The report highlights the repression on the Reangs in Mizoram and their plight in Tripura State.

The AITPN stated that the State of Mizoram has abdicated its responsibilities to private organizations like MZP. However, since the Reangs are not twice born Hindus like the Kashmiri Pandits who fled from Jammu and Kashmir in 1990s, there is complete apathy towards the Reangs. They are denied equal facilities and were not allowed to take part in the State Assembly Elections held on 25 November 1998, although Kashmiri Pandits have been participating in such elections through postal ballots. "The NHRC has failed to perform its duty to regulate the behaviour of the State and its agencies and uphold equality before law. The NHRC shies away from critical matters pertaining to the right to participate in the government. If the NHRC had intervened in our complaint in November 1998, there would not have been any need to file a case in the Delhi High Court for the right to franchise of the Reangs" - stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the AITPN.

AITPN urged the NHRC to direct the State Government of Mizoram to institute a Judicial Inquiry Commission into alleged atrocities against the Reangs by a sitting judge of the Guwahati High Court considering the intensity and scale of violence as reflected from the exodus of over 40,000 Reangs. The Judicial Inquiry Commission should complete its investigation within a specified time frame. In the meanwhile, the State Government of Mizoram should provide interim compensation to the victims of abuses and the kin of those who were killed during the repression of the Reangs in October-December 1997 should be given Rs 500,000 as compensation; and government employment to a member of the victim's family.

The AITPN deplored the camp conditions in Tripura. Arbitrary head counting of the Reangs on 20 April 1999 without any prior notice, has led to deletion of thousands of Reangs from the voter list. There are few educational facilities, medical and sanitation facilities. The AITPN's report states:

"From the beginning, relief camp conditions in Tripura were pathetic. Open fields and camps were the only recourse for this fleeing population. Inadequate shelter and water supplies have resulted in over 260 officially reported deaths and 1,400 infected people in the Kanchanpur sub-division relief camps of North Tripura district in 1998. Unofficial reports allege over 500 deaths from water born diseases, including malaria, cholera and gastro-enteritis. Gastro-enteritis has also hit Assam's Hailakandi's refugee camps where the State Government of Assam so far has not provided any assistance. Women have been the most severely affected. Inadequate sanitary facilities and the State Government's refusal to secure adequate health care are ascribed for these deaths. Miscarriages and new born deaths have been reported owing to the unhygienic conditions and inadequate health care provided to women and children in flight and in camps".

Although, the State Government of Tripura has advertised for 11 doctors, 19 nurses and MPW workers, no one has been appointed. It urged the NHRC to conduct an inquiry as to how much money has so far been sanctioned and disbursed by the Central Government of India and how much has actually been spent on the Reangs. AITPN urged that the Reangs must be provided adequate medical and educational facilities in the camps and the State Government of Mizoram must pay for all these expenses.

"The deletion of voter list has been consistently used as a instrument of harassment against the minorities in Mizoram. The State Government of Mizoram has been using the State Election Commission machineries with impunity. Not a single person has so far been identified as a foreigner, yet thousands of non-Mizos have been deleted from voter lists. This is a conspiracy to ensure that the minorities can not participate in the government." - stated Mr Suhas Chakma.

The AITPN requested the NHRC to direct the State Government of Mizoram to abide by the judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the case of PUCL and others Vs Electoral Registration Officer and Others (Writ Petition (Civil) No 56 of 1995) on the identification of foreigners. It urged that all the Reangs should be included in the voter lists in Mizoram and electoral procedures should not be misused as instruments for repression.

The AITPN provided exhaustive and specific recommendations for honourable repatriation of the Reangs. It urged the NHRC to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the Reangs to monitor the condition of the Reangs in the camps and the process of the repatriation of the Reangs. It stated that deployment of para-military forces, like the Central Reserve Police Force, prior to commencement of the repatriation process is a must and that the Central Reserve Police must camp in the Reang inhabited areas until rehabilitation of the returnees is completed.

It also recommended that the State Government of Mizoram must provide written guarantees to the NHRC prior to commencement of repatriation for recognition of the language of the Reangs, establishment of hostel facilities for the Reang students at Aizawl and Lunglei; one High School each at Tuipuiberi Centre and Damparengpui Village within a specified time frame and two hospitals at Damparengpui and Tuipuibari village respectively. AITPN urged the State Government of Mizoram to create special administrative arrangement for the Reangs to enable them undertake developmental activities and preserve their identity and language through dialogue with the Bru National Union. "The special administrative arrangement must have the power to allow the Reangs to impart, learn and receive education at primary school level in their mother tongue as per the Article 350(A) of the Constitution of India" - added Mr Chakma.

On the rehabilitation of the returnee Reangs, AITPN recommended that lands which were under the possession of the Reangs must be returned to the original owners including those Reangs who were living within the Dampa Wildlife Sanctuary; the State Government of Mizoram should give compensation of Rs 80,000 (eighty thousand) for construction of dwelling house and development of agriculture land for each Reang family; the State Government of Mizoram must provide four bundles of G.C.I. sheet to each family; the State Government of Mizoram must provide free rations for a minimum of 18 months after their repatriation to Mizoram to enable the returnees to cultivate their lands. The supply rations could be extended depending on the return of the lands occupied by the Mizos, recommended AITPN.

For favour of publicity

Suhas Chakma
Coordinator