Itanagar, June 2: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of reports alleging potential human rights violations linked to the proposed 11,500 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh. The Commission has issued notices to the state’s Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, demanding a detailed report within two weeks.
The NHRC action follows a media report published on May 23 highlighting local resistance to the dam construction in the Siang district, citing fears of displacement, environmental degradation, and threats to indigenous livelihoods. The report also noted the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the area, raising further concerns about the militarisation of a civil issue.
The Commission stated that if the media reports are accurate, they raise serious issues of human rights violations.
The protest movement has gained national attention. On May 23, around 400 people gathered in Beging village under the leadership of a local human rights activist and Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) convenor. Over 30 NGOs and civil society organisations across India have since extended their support.
Protesters have called for the immediate withdrawal of CAPF personnel from Siang, Upper Siang, and East Siang districts; the removal of drilling equipment from the project’s survey site in Beging; and a public assurance from the Arunachal Pradesh government that no further activities linked to the dam’s pre-feasibility report (PFR) will proceed without the free, prior, and informed consent of affected communities.
Amid rising tensions, the state administration has filed a police complaint against prominent anti-dam campaigner and SIFF legal adviser Ebo Mili, accusing him of leading an unlawful assembly at the protest site on May 22. In response, Mili temporarily went missing, prompting concern among supporters.
Mili resurfaced on May 31, confirming he was safe after taking shelter at a GREF camp following a landslide in Shi-Yomi’s Tato area. He clarified that he had switched off his phone to avoid police surveillance and reiterated that his presence at Beging was in a legal advisory capacity, not as a protest leader.
Villagers from Beging have also rejected the administration’s claims, affirming that Mili neither incited nor led any unlawful activities.
The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, to be executed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), is one of India’s largest planned hydropower ventures. However, it has faced sustained resistance from tribal communities, environmentalists, and rights groups, who argue that it threatens fragile ecosystems and undermines indigenous rights protected under India’s Constitution.
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