Itanagar: The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF), which is spearheading protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), claimed that 67 villagers were injured in clashes with police during recent protests.
The claim came a day after police said eight personnel were injured and five people, including two women, were arrested in connection with the clashes in Siang district.
What the forum claims
According to SIFF general secretary Likeng Libang, 52 protesters were injured at Riga and 15 at Pangkang. Of the 67 injured, the forum claimed 31 suffered major injuries while 36 sustained minor injuries.
The farmers’ body also alleged that eight vehicles belonging to project-affected families were damaged — four each at Riga and Pangkang.
In a separate incident near the Siang Bridge at Dite Dime, the forum claimed seven project-affected people from Riew and Begging villages were injured, one of them seriously.
Claims unverified
The SIFF’s claims could not be independently verified, and an official response from the administration or police to the forum’s latest allegations was awaited at the time of reporting.
Why the protests continue
The clashes broke out amid continuing protests by local communities against the Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) exercise for the proposed 11,000-MW SUMP on the Siang river. Project-affected communities have demanded an immediate halt to survey activities, raising concerns over land, livelihoods, displacement, environmental impact and large-scale water diversion.
The state government maintains the PFR is only an initial technical exercise and does not amount to a final decision to build the dam.
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