Agartala: The residents of Lowarpowa area in Patharkandi of Karimganj district of Assam’s Barak Valley threatened Tripura to prevent the movement of vehicles on Assam-Agartala National Highway if they allow goods movement to Mizoram.
Assam blockaded the movements of goods, vehicles and people to Mizoram following a skirmish at the Assam-Mizoram border on July 26 last, which left at least seven killed and over 70 injured.
Geographically, Mizoram is isolated and surrounded by Bangladesh, Myanmar, Manipur, Assam and Tripura. Mizoram is connected with rail and road mainly via Silchar of South Assam and dependent on Assam for the supply of essentials, medical services, education and every other need but it was suspended after the incident.
According to the report, a group of people in Lowarpowa assembled on NH-8 connecting Tripura from early this morning protesting against the transportation of essential commodities to Mizoram via Damcherra of North Tripura and Kanmoon of Mamit district of Western Mizoram. They had submitted a memorandum to the Superintendent of Police in Karimganj and officer-in-charge of Bazarichhara police station, Assam and Churaibari police station of Tripura and sent the copy to Chief Minister of Assam in this regard yesterday.
“We have a friendly relation with the people of Tripura but, shockingly, the Tripura government has been facilitating Mizoram in the transportation of goods and essentials while Assam put up an economic blockade against them for killing six Assam Police personnel and a civilian leaving a large number of people injured,” the agitating people stated to media.
They, however, criticized the Tripura government for its gesture of allowing the settlement to displaced Brus of Mizoram in the state ignoring the interest of the indigenous people here. When the Mizoram government had not agreed to accept its people of over 40,000, Tripura accepted them and allowed them to make their habitation. However, displaced Brus of Mizoram have been continuously disturbing the local people and instigating violence.
Recently over 1500 indigenous Charai tribes from different villages of Damcherra along the Tripura-Mizoram border in North Tripura fled away to nearby locations of Karimganj district in Assam following the clash between displaced Brus of Mizoram and indigenous communities of Tripura last week, they said adding that with the help of local administration the families have been provided shelter in schools and community properties and local people have arranged food and other essentials for the families.
“Now, when Mizoram became hostile and killed our people, Tripura should not help them,” they demanded and added, “If Tripura felt, Mizoram is their best neighbour and continues to support us, we shall not allow any vehicle in or out from Tripura through Assam. The same we expect from Manipur too, as they have been supplying vegetables, food and other essentials including petroleum products to Mizoram. Tripura and Manipur have to decide whom to live with – Assam or Mizoram,” the agitators reminded.
