Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu has called two prominent Adi organisations for talks on the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, but the meeting faces opposition from the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum Youth Wing, which has announced a complete boycott of government consultations until its demands are addressed.
According to a notice issued by the chief minister’s office on October 9, the meeting will be held at 10 am on October 13 at the conference hall of CMO-2 in Niti Vihar. Adi Baane Kebang Youth Wing president Oki Dai and Adi Students’ Union president Tani Tapo have been invited along with delegations from their respective organisations.
The proposed discussion follows concerns raised by the two organisations at a joint news conference in Pasighat on October 3. However, in a public notice issued on October 10, the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum Youth Wing said it would not participate in peace talks, negotiations or consultations on the project until four demands were met.
The forum has sought the immediate withdrawal of Central Armed Police Forces from traditional villages and lands in the Siang region. It has also demanded the withdrawal of all FIRs and legal proceedings against villagers and activists linked to protests against the project, the release of community members in custody, and compensation for people injured during security operations. The forum has additionally sought compensation for damage to private vehicles and village properties.
The youth wing has appealed to community organisations, student unions, clan representatives and political leaders to stay away from government-sponsored consultations on the Siang project. It warned that organisations or individuals taking part in such meetings would be held accountable under its resolution.
“The CM can meet any Adi group, CBO or union on any topic, but not SUMP,” anti-dam activist and SIFFYW legal adviser Ebo Mili was quoted as saying. He questioned the purpose of the proposed meeting while security forces remained deployed in the region.
The dispute follows a series of confrontations between anti-dam protesters and authorities over pre-feasibility report activities for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. The state government has maintained that the exercise is intended only to assess the project’s technical and economic viability and does not represent a final decision to construct it.
Opponents have raised concerns about possible displacement, environmental damage and the effect of the project on ancestral lands and livelihoods. The disagreement therefore extends beyond the project’s technical assessment to questions about consultation, security measures, legal action and the rights of communities connected to the affected area.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Adi Baane Kebang Youth Wing or the Adi Students’ Union on whether their representatives would attend the October 13 meeting in view of the boycott call. The meeting’s outcome will depend on whether the invited organisations participate and whether the government addresses the conditions raised by the protesting forum.
