The Adi Ba Kebang United (ABKU) has laid down four conditions for holding talks with the Arunachal Pradesh government over the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), including the release of all those detained during the anti-dam agitation and withdrawal of cases against protesters.
The organisation has also demanded the withdrawal of central armed forces from the Siang Valley and reinstatement of village buras, or traditional village heads, who were dismissed from government service.
ABKU president DG Tamuk and general secretary Jirbo Jamoh submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on Friday in response to an invitation from the Chief Minister’s Office for discussions on the project on November 10. The organisation expressed its willingness to engage with the government but sought fulfilment of its demands within 48 hours and proposed Pasighat as the venue for the talks.
Speaking to the media, Tamuk said the four demands must be met before any dialogue could take place. He called for the release of all those detained in connection with the agitation, particularly students, withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, removal of central armed forces from the valley and reinstatement of the dismissed village buras.
“Until the government fulfils our demands, there is no question of holding talks,” he said, adding that the community was fighting to protect its land, homes and livelihoods. He warned that the agitation would intensify if the government did not accept the demands. Reiterating the organisation’s position, he said its slogan was: “No Dam, No FIR.”
Tamuk claimed that the proposed project could threaten the land, settlements and livelihoods of indigenous communities in the Siang Valley. He estimated that around 27 villages and nearly 1.5 lakh people could be affected, and questioned where residents would be rehabilitated if they had to surrender their ancestral land, agricultural fields and traditional heritage.
He said agriculture and horticulture were the main sources of livelihood for many residents and noted the region’s contribution to fruit production. According to him, the project could disrupt not only settlements but also the valley’s economic and social systems.
The ABKU president also appealed to organisations and people in Assam to support the anti-SUMP movement, claiming that the proposed dam could have consequences for downstream areas of Assam and other regions.
He reiterated that the agitation would continue to protect the community’s land, traditions, homes and future.
