Arunachal Protests Reach Capital as Arrests and Rights Concerns Grow
Opposition to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project has spread from the Siang Valley to Arunachal Pradesh’s capital. A 12-hour shutdown in Itanagar on November 4 followed arrests linked to earlier protests, while activist Sonam Wangchuk and press groups raised concerns over community rights and journalist safety.
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In a Nutshell
- The People’s Rights Action Committee (PRAC) called a 12-hour bandh in the Itanagar Capital Region, demanding the release of people detained over protests against the Siang project. It also sought the withdrawal of security forces and a halt to project survey work.
- Under the bandh, shops and businesses were closed, but government offices remained open. Police said it was largely peaceful while about 30 people attempting to march were dispersed. The district administration had declared the bandh illegal in advance.
- The dispute escalated after violence and property damage during an October 23 protest in Pasighat. Police arrested 26 people, including five juveniles, in connection with the violence, according to Northeast Live. Protest groups say detainees must be released before talks.
- Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the government is preparing a pre-feasibility report and has made no decision to build the dam but promised dialogue and public consultation.
- Protesters remain concerned about displacement, ancestral land, forests and the Siang River.
- Sonam Wangchuk appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to intervene, calling for the release of peaceful protesters, an independent review of alleged police excesses and a full assessment of the project’s environmental and social effects.
- The Press Club of India raised concerns after journalist Tongam Rina was named in police requests for search warrants related to the Pasighat violence. The club said reporting on the protests must not become grounds for intimidation.
Context
The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is an 11,200-megawatt hydropower project on the Siang River. Local opposition centres on fears that it could submerge villages, displace residents and disrupt land, livelihoods and community ties to the river.
The government says it is at the pre-feasibility stage, with no construction decision made. Since the October 23 violence, arrests, security deployments and shutdowns have widened the dispute beyond the project’s potential impacts to include detainees, policing and community participation.
Why It Matters
The dispute now concerns both the future of a major river project and whether affected communities have a trusted role in decisions about their land. Arrests and reported concerns about press freedom have added to distrust, while the shutdown carried the issue into the state capital. The government’s invitation to dialogue has yet to bridge the gap. Protest groups say detainees must be released and security forces withdrawn before talks begin.
What We Think
A project of this scale may not earn public trust through assurances alone. Affected communities deserve clear information and a meaningful say before decisions go forward. At the same time, it is important that allegations of violence get fair investigation, and journalists remain free to report without being treated as suspects for covering dissent.