Itanagar, Oct 6 (PTI) Expressing concern over the law-and-order situation in Siang and Upper Siang districts in Arunachal Pradesh over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Tuesday urged the state government to de-escalate tensions and initiate dialogue with affected communities.
The concerns surrounding SUMP involved people’s land, livelihoods, environment, identity and future and should not be reduced to a law-and-order or security issue, the party said in a statement.
It also condemned the reported lathicharge and physical confrontation between paramilitary personnel and people from SUMP-affected areas.
The peaceful Siang belt should not be turned into a zone of confrontation, the Congress said.
“Development cannot be imposed through force, intimidation or excessive deployment of security forces. The government must listen to its people, not confront them,” it said.
The APCC said opposition to a development project and democratic dissent could not be equated with lawlessness or an internal security threat. It said concerns relating to land acquisition, possible displacement, environmental impact, rehabilitation, compensation and the long-term implications of SUMP needed to be addressed through meaningful consultation.
It called for immediate steps to restore peace in the affected areas and sought a review of the deployment of paramilitary forces. It also urged the government to refrain from using force against peaceful protesters and villagers and ensure that citizens exercising their democratic rights were not subjected to intimidation, arbitrary arrest or coercive action.
The Congress further sought an immediate and inclusive dialogue involving affected communities, village elders, elected representatives and other stakeholders. It also demanded that major project-related activities be kept on hold until consultations and comprehensive assessments of the project’s social and environmental impact are completed.
The APCC also called for all relevant SUMP project documents and impact assessments to be made publicly available, saying transparency was essential to building confidence among communities likely to be affected by the project.
It said the people of Siang were not opposed to development but wanted to be treated as stakeholders in the process. The party said residents had a legitimate right to question a project that could have far-reaching implications for their land, rivers, ecology, livelihoods and cultural heritage.
The APCC urged the government to move away from what it termed a ‘force first and dialogue later’ approach and bring all stakeholders to the negotiating table.
“Arunachal Pradesh needs peace, dialogue and development with the participation and confidence of its people, not confrontation between the state and its own citizens,” the party said. PTI CORR RG
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