Opposition to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project has taken the form of a long-distance protest march, with the Adi Galo Welfare Society launching a peaceful 400-km walk from Geku village to the state capital, Itanagar. The march is the latest step in a growing movement against the 11,200-MW hydroelectric project in the Siang valley.
The march set out from Mariyang-Geku in East Siang district and has covered around 150 km so far, passing through Pasighat before reaching Ruksin, near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Led by society president Gei Bagre and spokesperson Karge Basar, the marchers are walking under the slogan “Stand United & March Ahead”.
Four demands on the table
Speaking to the media at Ruksin, Basar reiterated four key demands. The first is the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained in connection with protests against the project. The second is immediate peace talks between the government and representatives of community-based organisations and civil society groups before any dam construction work proceeds.
The organisation has also called for the withdrawal of suspension orders issued against community leaders and government employees in connection with the dam issue. Its fourth demand is the withdrawal of paramilitary forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel from villages affected by the proposed project.
A movement that keeps growing
The society has stated that its movement will continue until the state government addresses these demands, stressing the need for dialogue and peaceful communication with affected communities before any development activity linked to the project moves forward.
The proposed dam has become one of the sharpest disputes in the state. The government describes the project as a safeguard against an upstream hydropower project across the border, while residents fear losing their land, villages and the river itself. Reports say the project could affect 27 villages in one of India’s most biodiverse regions.
A bandh in the Itanagar Capital Region was called off after the government offered talks, and Chief Minister Pema Khandu has already offered dialogue as the Siang dam protests grow. The march now tests whether that dialogue will happen on terms the protesters accept.
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