A large majority of internal armed conflicts in Asia involves indigenous peoples. Consequently, the majority of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Asia are indigenous peoples. AITPN's programme on internally displaced persons is aimed at securing basic humanitarian aid for the indigenous IDPs, ensuring that they receive assistance from the government without any violation of the principles of equality and non-discrimination, and protecting their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Since its formation, AITPN has been intervening in IDP-related cases. On 27 November 1997, AITPN filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) on the impending forcible repatriation of internally displaced Reangs to Mizoram by the State Government of Tripura. AITPN urged the NHRC to stop the forcible repatriation and to provide basic humanitarian facilities. The Reangs fled to Tripura to escape the atrocities perpetrated by the Mizo Zirlai Pawl students with the acquiescence of the State Government of Mizoram.

On 12-13 October 1999, the National Human Rights Commission of India organised a hearing on the Reang problem at Agartala, Tripura. The Chief Secretaries (the senior most bureaucrats at the state level) of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram, representatives of the Reangs and a representative of AITPN participated in the meeting. AITPN made a written submission entitled " Justice Delayed and Denied: The Case of the Reangs of Mizoram ". The submission contained recommendations outlining the measures need to be taken by the Mizoram Government for the repatriation of the Reangs. The NHRC gave its judgement on 27 October 1997 directing the State Government to take back the Reang IDPs.

The NHRC directions have not been fully implemented by the State Government of Mizoram and the Reang IDPs continue to live miserable life in the relief camps in North Tripura.

AITPN continues to monitor the situation of the internally displaced persons in North East India.

Reports

• Population Transfer, Racism and Ethnocide in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, July 2005

AITPN's Interventions on the Reang IDPs

• IN/NHRC/02/1997:
  Complaint against human rights violations, denial of humanitarian aid and refoulement-follow up-1, December 1997
• NHRC's notice on AITPN's complaint against human rights violations (access in PDF), December 1997
• IN/NHRC/01/1997:
  Complaint against human rights violations, denial of humanitarian aid and refoulement, November 1997
• Justice Delayed and Denied: The case of the Reangs (access the full text in PDF), October 1999
• Press Release: Cut 10% from Mizoram's budget to resolve the Reang crisis, 11 October 1999
• NHRC's judgement on human rights violations against the Reangs (access in PDF), November 1999

Right to participate in the government

• Complaint against the denial of the right to franchise, November 1998
• Press release on complaint against the denial of the right to franchise, November 1998
• NHRC's notice on the denial of the right to franchise, November 1998
• Complaint against the denial of the right to franchise-follow up1, November 1998
• Complaint against the denial of the right to franchise-follow up 2, November 1998
• NHRC's order on  the denial of the right to franchise , November 1998

Related Parliamentary Questions

• Reang refugees, by Shri Khagen Das, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, 16.07.2002
• Repatriation of Reang refugee, by Shri Khagen Das, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, 25.07.2001
• Refugees in North East regio, by Shri Samar Chowdhury, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, 19.12.2000
• Reang refugees in Tripur, by Shri Khagen Das, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, 26.04.2000
• Displaced Reangs in Mizora, by Shri K R Malkani, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, 03.03.1999
• Reang families in Tripura refugee camp, by Shri Khagen Das, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, 07.07.1998