Agartala, July 20: The continued presence of Reang refugees in six North Tripura camps for the past nine years and their alleged links with the Bru National Liberation Front of Mizoram (BLFM) militants have emerged as a spanner in the relationship between Mizoram and Tripura.

The difference in attitude came to the fore yesterday, when allegations and counter-allegations marred the bipartite meeting between government officials of Mizoram and Tripura, at Damcherra in Dharmanagar subdivision of North Tripura.

“The meeting, at times, became tense but we could finally end up on a peaceful and happy note,” Debatosh Dutta, district magistrate of North Tripura, said.

The meeting of the district- level officials had been scheduled to discuss and resolve minor irritants in the relationship between the two neighbours.

The two states share a 109- km-long boundary. The five- member delegation from Tripura was led by Dutta, while the Mizoram delegation was led by the district magistrate of Mamit, Nei Sunga.

The discussion commenced with the Mizoram delegation accusing their Tripura counterparts of inaction withregard to BLFM militants.

“We have concrete information that the BLFM militants use the refugee camps as their hideouts? and are involved in all kinds of subversive activities in Mizoram.”

This provoked objections from superintendent of police (North) G.S. Rao, who pointed out that far from being inactive, police have arrested 13 BLFM activists and their collaborators from the camps.

Tripura officials alleged that backed by the Mizoram police and activists of Young Mizo Association (YMA), the Reang villagers of Tripura ? living along the border with Mizoram ? were regularly harassed. The Mizoram delegation, however, refuted the allegation and blamed the Reangs for all the trouble.

Tripura officials also objected to Mizoram’s claim on the Longai river.

“Their claim to the entire river, which flows through Tripura, is unjustified,” Dutta said.

However, both the sides agreed to hold meetings at regular intervals and sort out their problems amicably.

The Reangs can neither fish in the river nor use its water,” Dutta said. He also expressed concern over the killing of three Reangs over the past year.