Arunachal: SIFF Demands Withdrawal of CAPF from Siang Valley Survey

ITANAGAR: The Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF) strongly objected to the withdrawal of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) engaged for carrying out a survey related to the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) proposal in the Siang Valley.

In a letter dated 21 March, executive members of SIFF wrote to the hydropower joint secretary, urging immediate withdrawal of the CAPF men from the site of survey.

Despite previous denials made by BJP General Secretary Nalong Mize that CRPF/CAPF forces were not deployed, SIFF members highlighted that forces were deployed at the BK Mission School in Boleng.

The forum decried the deployment of security personnel, highlighting that imposing the dam project over the people's will is a violation of the Gauhati High Court's PIL Order No. 10/2014.

The SIFF also requested the Arunachal Pradesh government to table the entire project plan of the SUMP in the public domain for transparency and participation. The forum also requested that no more pre-feasibility report (PFR) drilling be done until the project information is revealed and stakeholders' approval is secured.

Issues regarding the SUMP survey have been prevalent. On 21 February, the general manager of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), in the company of the commissioner to the chief minister, verbally affirmed that the survey for the project had already been conducted.

This has further been a cause for concern among SIFF members and local communities regarding the absence of consultation and transparency.

In a recent leadership crisis, Lamok Padun took up the position of new president of the SIFF following the voluntary resignation of former president Gegong Jijong. SIFF members said that Jijong had signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Dam survey without taking the affected villagers and the public into consideration.

His move was universally condemned as one of negligence. On 9 and 11 March, SIFF had also written to the DHDP joint secretary, asking for a discussion regarding the PFR.

The forum is resolute in its position, declaring, "No dam, no survey." It is adamant about opposing any survey work that is conducted without the agreement of the impacted communities.

Former SIFF president Jijong admitted his error in signing the MoU pre-emptively. On 21 March, he wrote to the hydropower joint secretary, regretting that he had proposed the survey without a consultation with the affected families.

Notwithstanding the resistance from locals, he withdrew his earlier letter of support for the survey formally.

SIFF has also raised two main demands: first, that the state government should not sign any MoU or MoA with any promoter without approval from the affected families and SIFF; and second, that as the SUMP is a national project, a central government representative of a rank not less than joint secretary should witness any MoU between the government and SIFF.

These issues were to be forwarded to the government after consulting with the affected families. Welcoming the new leadership, SIFF legal adviser Bhanu Tatak praised Padun’s appointment as the forum’s new president and reaffirmed confidence in his leadership.

Tatak also expressed gratitude towards the outgoing president, recognizing Jijong’s years of service to the people of Siang.

The controversy surrounding the SUMP has sparked widespread public protests in the Siang Valley, especially following the home department’s order to deploy CAPF personnel to conduct the pre-feasibility survey.

ALSO READ:

ALSO WATCH: