Arunachal youth, tribes demand activists' release over Siang Upper project
Protests in Arunachal Pradesh are heating up as young people and indigenous groups call for the release of activists arrested during anti-dam demonstrations.
Protesters are worried that the massive Siang Upper Multipurpose Project could harm their ancestral lands and disrupt their communities, so some protesters were dressed in traditional tribal attire with signs to make their voices heard.
Arunachal arrests, hunger strike reports disputed
Tensions spiked after four residents were placed under preventive detention on October 9 under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014, especially following a bandh (shutdown) on October 23 that turned violent:
26 people were taken into custody, including some minors.
Despite police crackdowns, groups like the SUMP Affected Area Youth Association aren't backing down, highlighting concerns about displacement and environmental damage.
Some activists were reported to have stopped eating while in custody from October 26, though police disputed calling it a hunger strike, saying they had eaten breakfast that day.