Arunachal Youth Group Calls Three-District Shutdown Over Dam Protests

Itanagar: Residents in Siang, Upper Siang, and East Siang districts face a total shutdown on November 2. The SUMP Affected Area Youth Association (SAAYA) called the protest to challenge recent arrests of activists. These individuals opposed the 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, an initiative that threatens to submerge 27 villages and displace thousands. The project, one of India's largest hydropower plans, sits on the Siang River. It carries strategic weight as a response to China's activities on the Yarlung Tsangpo.

SAAYA confirmed the decision during an October 29 meeting with village reps. They want the Bogum Bokang Welfare Society to back the movement. The association explicitly asked the group to help ensure the agitation follows peaceful and democratic paths. SAAYA claimed the arrests aim to suppress indigenous voices. They described the struggle as a fight to save ancestral land, local rivers, and the Adi identity.

Tension has simmered for months. Resistance spiked in September and October after the government moved to start preliminary surveys. Residents rejected the forced surveys and the heavy deployment of Central Armed Police Forces. Violence broke out recently, leading to property damage and a wave of arrests. Local authorities reacted by banning public gatherings on October 11. The government insists it is merely at the preliminary investigation stage. Activists demand the release of detainees and an end to the project surveys. The state must now face a unified front spanning three districts as the protest hits the streets this week.