Tensions across the Siang river belt reached a flashpoint as long-simmering anti-dam protests spilled over from the rural heartland into the major urban centres of Arunachal Pradesh. At the heart of the turmoil is the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
The last week of October saw east Siang, upper Siang and Siang districts wracked by clashes between security forces and local demonstrators, the torching of government assets and mass arrests of indigenous youth leaders. The state administration imposed prohibitory orders and shutdowns and deployed 30 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in Pasighat to enforce a curfew.
On 20 October, around 700-800 youths, students and residents gathered in Pasighat to oppose ongoing surveys for pre-feasibility reports (PFR). Their demands included the release of activists previously detained under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the withdrawal of central security forces from the Siang belt and suspension of all project-related activities.
On 22 October, the demonstrators began their peaceful 24-hour sit-in at Miracle Ground. On 23-24 October, a 12-hour bandh, called by Adi Bane Kebang United (ABKU) and associated groups turned violent.
Protesters threw stones and ransacked offices belonging to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and local administrative bodies. The police responded with tear gas shelling and lathi charges. Several vehicles were set on fire, leaving a trail of burnt debris in the streets of Pasighat.
State authorities initiated a crackdown and arrested prominent faces of the movement, including Gen Z youth leaders and representatives from the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF). Several activists launched a hunger strike in police custody, further galvanising support among locals.
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New Delhi sees SUMP not only as a power-generation asset, but as a geopolitical buffer. Upstream in Tibet’s Medog County, China has reportedly commenced constructing a massive 60-gigawatt dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river (which becomes the Siang upon entering India). Security strategists argue that India requires a large reservoir downstream to absorb sudden release — or intentional withholding — of water by an aggressive China upstream.
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