Protests Intensify in Arunachal Pradesh

Public agitation against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project escalated significantly in Arunachal Pradesh, as indigenous rights activists, youth, and local residents took to the streets to demand the unconditional release of detained demonstrators and the withdrawal of pending criminal cases.

Clad in traditional tribal attire, protesters carried placards and chanted slogans denouncing the massive hydropower undertaking. The immediate flashpoint centers on the government's pre-feasibility report surveys and the subsequent security crackdown on those opposing the development.

Crackdown and Detentions

Tensions reached a boiling point following administrative actions in October. On October 9, the Upper Siang district administration invoked the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014, ordering the preventive detention of four residents: Adum Tayom, Omak Paron, Okut Paloh, and Oson Paron.

Further unrest erupted on October 23 during a regional bandh, resulting in violent clashes. Police subsequently reported 26 arrests—including five juveniles—along with six individuals detained for questioning and eight registered criminal cases. High-profile figures, including anti-dam activist and human rights lawyer Ebo Mili, youth leader Otul Jerang, and activist Tajong Talom, were among those taken into police custody.

Reports emerged that Mili and Jerang initiated a hunger strike while detained beginning October 26. However, East Siang Superintendent of Police Pankaj Lamba disputed the characterization, stating that both detainees had consumed breakfast.

Community Concerns and Demands

Organized by groups such as the SUMP Affected Area Youth Association and the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum, the anti-dam movement is rooted in deep apprehensions regarding ecological destruction, forced displacement, and the preservation of ancestral lands.

Protesters are demanding a complete halt to pre-feasibility surveys, the immediate withdrawal of security forces deployed across the valley, and the release of all individuals arrested in connection with the demonstrations. As local communities stand firm against the project, the situation remains tense, highlighting the ongoing friction between large-scale infrastructure ambitions and indigenous land rights in India's northeast.