<\/p>\n
Youth for Himalayas calls for attention to Indigenous resistance against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project<\/p>\n
All Eyes on Arunachal: What is Happening in Siang Valley?<\/p>\n
Dehradun , Nov 2<\/p>\n
Youth for Himalaya organised an online press conference on Monday, bringing together voices from Arunachal Pradesh and across the Himalayan region to draw attention to the escalating situation in the Siang Valley, where communities are resisting the proposed 11,500 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.<\/p>\n
The proposed mega hydropower project has raised serious concerns among Indigenous communities over the future of their ancestral lands, river systems, livelihoods, cultural heritage and territorial rights. For communities in the Siang region, the project represents not merely an infrastructure proposal but a decision with far-reaching implications to determine their own future.<\/p>\n
The events of 23 October 2026, including the police brutality, arrests and the detention of young activists under the draconian Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014 (APUAPA) for raising their voices against the project, have brought questions of democratic rights, freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest into sharp focus.<\/p>\n
The events have also raised questions about the safety and security of residents participating in the movement. Community members continue to express concerns about the situation on the ground, the well-being of those affected by police excess, and the ability of people to exercise their right to peaceful protest.<\/p>\n
The resistance to the proposed project has a history spanning nearly four decades, with opposition among local communities growing steadily over the years. Despite changes in governments, the tribal communities whose ancestral lands are earmarked for the dam have consistently maintained their opposition. Among the several tribal communities living in the region, the Adis form the largest community and share a profound cultural and historical bond with the river. They refer to it as Aane Siang, meaning Mother Siang. For generations, these communities have built their lives around the river and its surrounding forests and landscapes. Their cultural practices, spiritual traditions, religious beliefs and agricultural systems are closely tied to the Siang and the ecosystems it sustains.<\/p>\n
Community members from the Siang valley including Tagori Mize, Spokesperson of the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum(SIFF) and Dubit Siram, General Secretary, SIFF Youth Wing came forward to share their accounts.<\/p>\n
Tagori Mize said that the community and individual landowners were never informed or consulted about the proposed dam project. Instead, unlawful means are being used to forge majority consent, and the signatures are being obtained by misleading people. He further pointed to a deep lack of trust arising from the absence of credible information and evidence about the project. Despite several meetings with government representatives to raise their concerns, he said no meaningful effort had been made to address their apprehensions or take the community into confidence.<\/p>\n
He also questioned the repeated invocation of national security, asserting that the people of the region are equally part of the nation. \u201cOur forefathers protected this land against the British. We are proud Indians, yet we are being treated as though we do not belong to this country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dubit pointed out that \u201cThe law is applied differently to the company and government representatives than it is to ordinary people. There seems to be one set of rules for those in power and another for the common people. 9 Gao Buras have been either terminated or suspended in Siang district, for their oppoisiton to the dam. Government officials are intimidated by notice as to support the dam\u201d<\/p>\n
Presently, more than 3000 Paramilitary is deployed across three Adi districts, namely East siang, Siang and Upper Siang. RAF (Rapid action force) was airlifted to Pasighat after the 23rd pasighat violent protest.<\/p>\n
On the present situation and community safety, Dubit responded that \u201cThe region is in the middle of its harvest season, yet people’s movement is being severely restricted. Even farmers are not allowed to travel in groups to their fields, disrupting their ability to carry out essential agricultural activities.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tense situation has also begun to affect the everyday lives and mobility of residents in the valley. Dubit also highlighted that<\/p>\n
\u201cAn elderly woman, aged over 60, was on her way to her fields when she was caught in a lathi charge. She had no involvement in or knowledge of the ongoing protests. As she attempted to escape, security personnel struck her with a stone, strangled her with her scarf, leaving her with two fractured ribs. When she tried to seek help, her phone was smashed and its battery removed. She was subsequently taken into judicial custody and detained overnight, despite her injuries. The fractures were later confirmed through an X-ray.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn villages across Upper Siang District, particularly in the Geku area, one individual has slapped with more than 19 FIRs, while FIRs have also been filed against many other people\u201d, says Dubit.<\/p>\n
He also expressed concern over the growing narrative being built against individuals from the region. Bhanu Tatak, a lawyer and researcher who is also the legal advisor of SIFF, has repeatedly been subjected to media trials, which as part of a wider attempt to vilify citizens raising concerns and questioning the project.<\/p>\n
CBI case on FCRA violations on Bhanu has been spun around, instead of citing the actual allegations on the FIR which are, non compliance to registration and income tax returns, media has wrongfully decided to call all protests foreign funded, completely sabotaging the sentiments of the people.<\/p>\n
Reportedly, 10.9 crores have been invested by NHPC, the dam proponent, on Media Blitz to several national media, digital influencer, as per report by Bengia Ajum on The Arunachal Times.<\/p>\n
Tongam Rina, Deputy editor of AP times, could not attend the online press conference, but sent a statement expressing her concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government need not force the people to choose violence, but that is exactly what it wants in order to fully utilise its violent force to gain entry into their villages and the river. As an activist and reporter who has documented the people\u2019s struggle for years, I know Siang has demonstrated that the state\u2019s forceful militarisation will be met with resistance. Siang isn’t just a river; it is the identity of the entire indigenous Adi community.\u201d, writes Tongam.<\/p>\n
At the heart of the resistance to SUMP lies the relationship between the Siang River and the communities who have lived alongside it for generations. The river is inseparable from their cultural practices, livelihoods, ancestral territories, collective memory and understanding of the natural world. The proposed project raises concerns about the possible displacement of communities, submergence of ancestral lands, ecological changes, and the long-term consequences for future generations. For residents, the question is not simply one of infrastructure development, but of who gets to decide the future of their river and their homeland.<\/p>\n
The press conference concluded with a collective call for the immediate release of all those arrested, the withdrawal of FIRs filed against members of the people’s movement, and the de-militarisation of the region.<\/p>\n
The speakers also urged the government to initiate a genuine dialogue with the affected communities, ensuring that their concerns, rights and voices are meaningfully included in decisions concerning their land, rivers and future.<\/p>\n
A call for solidarity across the Himalayas<\/p>\n
Developments in the Siang Valley reflect the wider challenges confronting communities across the Himalayan region, where large hydropower and infrastructure projects continue to raise critical questions around displacement, ecological security, community rights and democratic participation.<\/p>\n
The Himalayas have long been viewed as a frontier for strategic and developmental expansion, often at the expense of their ecological fragility and the communities that inhabit them.<\/p>\n
Yet, the region’s vulnerability demands a more cautious approach to infrastructure development. The devastating floods in Nepal and the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Sikkim’s Teesta basin offer important lessons on the risks associated with poorly planned infrastructure and development in fragile mountain ecosystems.<\/p>\n
These experiences underscore the need for greater scrutiny of large-scale projects, particularly their cumulative impacts on mountain landscapes, ecosystems and communities.<\/p>\n
The experiences of people in Arunachal Pradesh deserve to be heard beyond the region. Communities across the Himalayas share interconnected rivers, ecosystems and concerns about the future of their lands and livelihoods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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