Arunachal: Adi body sets conditions for SUMP talks, demands release of detainees and withdrawal of FIRs

The Adi Ba Kebang United (ABKU), a leading organisation representing the Adi community, has set four conditions for holding talks with the Arunachal Pradesh government over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), including the release of all those detained during the anti-dam agitation and withdrawal of cases registered against them.

The organisation has also demanded the withdrawal of central armed forces from the Siang Valley and reinstatement of village buras (traditional village heads) who were dismissed from government service.

On Friday, ABKU president DG Tamuk and general secretary Jirbo Jamoh submitted a memorandum to the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, responding to an invitation from the Chief Minister’s Office for talks on the SUMP issue on November 10.

While expressing its willingness to engage with the government, the organisation has sought fulfilment of its demands within 48 hours. It has also proposed Pasighat as the venue for the discussions.

Speaking to the media, Tamuk said the four demands must be addressed before any dialogue can take place. He called for the immediate release of all those detained in connection with the agitation, particularly students, withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, removal of central armed forces from the Siang Valley and reinstatement of the dismissed village buras.

"Until the government fulfils our demands, there is no question of holding talks," Tamuk said, adding that the community was fighting to protect its land, homes and livelihood.

He warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government failed to accept the demands. Stating the organisation's position on the proposed project, he said its slogan was: "No Dam, No FIR."

The ABKU president also raised concerns over the proposed 11,200 MW SUMP, claiming that it could threaten the existence, traditional land, homes and livelihoods of indigenous communities in the Siang Valley.

According to Tamuk, around 27 villages and nearly 1.5 lakh people could be affected by the project. He questioned where residents would be rehabilitated if they were forced to give up ancestral land, agricultural fields and traditional heritage.

He said agriculture and horticulture were the primary sources of livelihood for much of the population in the Siang Valley, which also has a significant role in fruit production. The project, he argued, could disrupt not only settlements but also the region's economic and social systems.

Tamuk also appealed to organisations and people in Assam to support the anti-SUMP movement, claiming that the impact of the proposed dam could extend beyond the Siang Valley to the downstream areas of Assam and other regions.

He reiterated that the agitation would continue to protect the community's land, traditions, homes and future.