ITANAGAR, 2 Aug: The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) has strongly condemned the government’s move to implement the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) without free, prior, and informed consent of the affected indigenous communities.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday, SIFF legal adviser Bhanu Tatak and advocate Ebo Mili stated that the implementation of the proposed SUMP, including survey for preparing the pre-feasibility report, as well as pre-construction activities under corporate social responsibility, are going on without the consent of the affected indigenous people.
“This appears to contravene not only international human rights standards, to which India is a signatory, but also the spirit of constitutional safeguards designed to protect indigenous populations,” the forum said.
The forum, which is spearheading the movement against the SUMP, strongly condemned the government’s move to deploy Central Armed Police Forces, alleging “militarization and suppression of voices of those opposing the SUMP.”
The forum stated that the proposed mega dam has triggered strong opposition and public protests by indigenous tribal communities in the state and downstream areas in Assam. It highlighted the potential displacement of over 1.5 lakh people, mostly from the Adi and other indigenous tribes, as well as submergence of 27 villages, which would lead to the loss of ancestral homes and land rights, agricultural lands and livelihood and cultural heritage sites, including Kekar Moying, a historic Adi landmark where the Anglo Abor (British-Adi) battle took place.
The forum also highlighted similar observations and patterns of human rights and environmental clearance violations in other districts in Arunachal, wherein hydropower dam projects are under progress.
Highlighting the 2,880 mw Dibang dam, it alleged that the dam is being constructed suppressing public protests and resistance by imposing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Lower Dibang Valley district.
It claimed that “no comprehensive cumulative impact assessment for all dams in Dibang has been done for the 45 kms downstream.”
Tatak played down the Government of India’s dam building on the Brahmaputra/Siang to counter China’s dam upstream.
She said that, as per available data, only 30 percent of the Yarlung Tsangpo contributes to the Siang, and that the claim that China is building a “water bomb,” as stated by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, is misleading.
Tatak demanded that the Government of India seek information from China on its Yarlung Tsangpo dam and make it public.
During the press conference, the forum also highlighted the suspension of a gaon bura for opposing the SUMP; the arbitrary detention and arrest of protestors and members of the SIFF; false cases/charges and criminalisation of leaders, including leaders of the SIFF and the AdiSU; the alleged forgery of signatures for PFR MoU signing at Riga, Pangkang and Riew villages, “which have been nullified by the village authorities of the respective villages”; the arbitrary order by the district administration to curb public protest and movements; and “the violation of Gauhati High Court order PIL No 10/14.”
