ITANAGAR, Nov 2: Youth for Himalaya has called for greater attention to the concerns of indigenous communities opposing the proposed 11,500-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), alleging that the ongoing situation in the Siang Valley has raised serious questions over community rights, democratic freedoms and public safety.
At an online press conference on Monday, the organisation brought together speakers from Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of the Himalayan region to highlight the concerns of residents in the Siang Valley and seek a dialogue between the government and affected communities.
The speakers alleged that the events of October 23, including police action, arrests and the detention of young activists under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014 (APUAPA), had adversely affected the exercise of democratic rights and the freedom to protest peacefully.
Tagori Mize, spokesperson of the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF), alleged that local communities and individual landowners had not been adequately informed or consulted about the proposed project. He claimed that signatures were being obtained by misleading people and said the lack of credible information had deepened public distrust.
Mize said repeated meetings with government representatives had not resulted in meaningful efforts to address the concerns of affected communities. He also questioned the invocation of national security in the context of opposition to the project, asserting that residents of the region were equally committed to the country.
Dubit Siram, general secretary of the SIFF Youth Wing, alleged that several Gaon Burahs in Siang district had been suspended or terminated for opposing the project. He also claimed that government employees were being pressured through notices to support the dam.
Siram expressed concern over the deployment of security personnel in the districts of East Siang, Siang and Upper Siang, stating that restrictions on movement were affecting residents during the harvest season and disrupting agricultural activities.
He also alleged that a woman above 60 years of age was injured during a lathi charge while travelling to her fields and was subsequently detained despite her injuries. According to him, an X-ray later confirmed two fractured ribs.
Siram further claimed that multiple FIRs had been filed against residents in Upper Siang, particularly in the Geku area, and expressed concern over what he described as attempts to discredit individuals associated with the anti-SUMP movement.
The speakers also raised concerns over media coverage of the movement and allegations relating to foreign funding. They questioned reports linking the protests to foreign funding in the context of a CBI case concerning alleged FCRA violations involving Bhanu Tatak, a lawyer and researcher who serves as SIFF's legal adviser.
Senior journalist Tongam Rina, who could not attend the event, said in a statement the Siang River was closely linked to the identity and cultural heritage of the Adi community and warned that forceful militarisation could intensify resistance.
The speakers said the opposition to SUMP was rooted in the community's historical, cultural and livelihood ties with the Siang River, locally known as Aane Siang. They expressed apprehensions over possible displacement, submergence of ancestral lands, ecological changes and the project's long-term impact on future generations.
Youth for Himalaya said the concerns in the Siang Valley reflected wider challenges faced by communities across the Himalayan region in the context of large hydropower and infrastructure projects. It called for greater scrutiny of the cumulative environmental and social impacts of such projects in fragile mountain ecosystems.
The press conference concluded with a call for the release of those arrested, withdrawal of FIRs against members of the people's movement and reduction of security deployment in the region. The speakers also urged the government to initiate a meaningful dialogue with affected communities and ensure that their concerns and rights were considered in decisions concerning their land, rivers and future.