[ Indu Chukhu ]
ITANAGAR, 23 May: The families in Siang and Upper Siang districts who would be affected by the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) launched a protest on Friday in Begging village in Siang district against the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), who have been deployed in the region to facilitate survey work for the SUMP.
In Geku village in Upper Siang district, movement of villagers was halted by the local police near the Model Degree College since early morning.
Speaking to this reporter over the phone, Toya Ezing (47), of Geku village, informed that the police personnel did not allow anyone to move, and even those travelling to Pasighat in East Siang district were not allowed to move in their vehicles.
Ezing said that, later, after talks with the police team, only 12 executive body members of the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) were allowed to move. “The villagers were infuriated and locked horns with the police as the police stopped our movement without any order copy in hand,” he said, adding that “ours was a peaceful protest, but the police made it difficult for us.”
The protesting villagers informed that they have served a three-day ultimatum to the Siang and Upper Siang district administrations and the police to withdraw the CAPF deployed in Geku, Yingkiong, Peging, Boleng, and Pangin.
They claimed that they called off their protest following assurance given by the Siang district administration that the CAPF would be withdrawn from Begging village.
Protests were held also in Geku town, including at the vegetable market and the Model Degree College.
It is reported that some of the executive body members of the SIFF had to go on foot from various locations to Begging village.
Later in the day, the protestors partially burned the suspension bridge in Begging village, so as to prevent the paramilitary forces from entering the village.
The villagers said that their demand is still the same. “We will wait till 27 May, and if the administration violates its assurance, we will continue the protest,” they said.
A protesting villager from Upper Siang said that “our representatives Ojing Tasing, Alo Libang and Onit Panyang will be held responsible,” if anything untoward occurs.
On being contacted, Siang DC PN Thungon refuted the claim regarding withdrawal of the CAPF and cessation of survey work to prepare the pre-feasibility report for the SUMP.
“Unless there is a fresh order from the government, we cannot do anything. The administration has nothing to do on the withdrawal part of the CAPF. It’s the part of the government,” he said, and added that none of the SIFF members approached him to place their concerns.
On being asked about the villagers’ three-day ultimatum to withdraw the forces and the machineries, Thungon said that he did not receive any such ultimatum.
“The project-affected families and the SIFF had said it would be a peaceful protest, but was it peaceful? The protesters disrupted the hanging bridge in Begging and claim that they led a peaceful march,” the DC said.
On being asked about the halting of movement of vehicles in Upper Siang district, such as in Geku, the DC said that it was done to ensure peace and tranquillity in the region.
He further claimed that 80 percent of the protesters were from Upper Subansiri district and not from Siang district, adding that “there were about 500 protesters participating in Begging from Siang district, whereas the total population in the district is more than 35,000.”
“The district administration cannot be a representative for 500 people,” he said.
He said that everybody has the right to place their grievances before the government while ensuring peace in the region.
“Around 80-90 IRBn jawans, along with police personnel, were deployed during the protest to ensure peaceful coexistence,” the DC said.
