A coalition of several civil rights, labour, student and social justice groups, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), has condemned the arrest of three anti-dam activists in Arunachal Pradesh following recent violence in Pasighat, demanding their immediate release and the withdrawal of security forces from protest areas opposing the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
In a statement, CASR identified the arrested activists as Ebo Mili, Otul Jerang and Tajong Talom. It also condemned the use of tear gas and stun grenades against protesters and what it described as the continuing criminalisation of the democratic movement against the proposed mega-dam.
Those forming CASR include the All India Revolutionary Students' Organisation (AIRSO), Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), and People's Watch.
The arrests came amid renewed protests on 23 October, organised to demand the release of previously arrested activists and the withdrawal of security forces deployed in the region. According to CASR, police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters, triggering panic and escalating tensions.
The organisation expressed concern over what it described as a pattern of repression against the anti-SUMP movement. It said ten activists had reportedly been arrested before the latest crackdown, including four booked under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (APUAPA) in connection with their involvement in studies relating to the proposed project.
“The latest arrests further intensify the climate of fear and repression surrounding a movement raising legitimate questions about indigenous rights, environmental protection, displacement and the future of the Siang River,” the statement said.
The proposed project has generated apprehensions among indigenous communities over its potential environmental, social and economic consequences. CASR argued that the government should address these concerns through democratic dialogue and public consultation rather than police deployment, arrests and coercive measures.
The organisation also accused the BJP-led state government of applying “double standards” by inviting stakeholders and protesting groups for talks while presiding over the deployment of security forces and the arrest of movement leaders.
“An invitation to dialogue cannot be credible when activists are behind bars and security forces are deployed against people demanding their rights,” CASR said, adding that genuine dialogue required an end to intimidation and the criminalisation of dissent.
Emphasising that opposition to a development project was a legitimate democratic right, CASR said the people of Siang should be able to express their concerns and determine the future of their land, rivers, forests and livelihoods without arbitrary arrests, coercion or the threat of stringent laws.
The statement described the crackdown as part of a broader pattern in which movements defending indigenous rights, forests, land and livelihoods were increasingly met with militarisation and criminalisation. It said the use of repressive laws against those opposing SUMP raised concerns about shrinking democratic space for people's movements in the Northeast.
CASR demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mili, Jerang and Talom, along with all other activists arrested in connection with the anti-SUMP movement. It also called for the release of the four activists booked under APUAPA and the withdrawal of what it described as politically motivated and fabricated cases against anti-dam activists.
The organisation further demanded the withdrawal of excessive security-force deployment from protest areas, an end to the intimidation and harassment of local communities, and an impartial investigation into the violence in Pasighat, including the alleged use of tear gas and stun grenades against protesters. It called for accountability for any unlawful police action and urged the government to halt the forced imposition of the proposed project.
Calling for meaningful dialogue with affected indigenous communities, CASR said their concerns and informed consent should be central to all decisions concerning SUMP.
“The Siang River and the future of its people cannot be protected through repression,” the statement said. “The government must stop treating democratic resistance as a law-and-order problem and start addressing the people's concerns. Dialogue cannot coexist with militarisation and mass arrests.”
The statement concluded with the slogans, “Release all political prisoners!” and “Stop the militarisation of Siang!”
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