India: CASR Condemns Militarization and Arrest of Three Activists
We hereby share a statement published by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) on October 26.
PRESS STATEMENT
Date – 26 October 2026
CASR Strongly Condemns the Arrest of Three Anti-SUMP Activists and Heavy Militarisation of the Siang Region
Demands Immediate Release of All Arrested Activists and Withdrawal of Security Forces from Protest Areas
Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) strongly condemns the arrest of prominent anti-dam activists Ebo Mili, Otul Jerang and Tajong Talom by the Arunachal Pradesh Police following the recent violence in Pasighat. CASR also condemns the heavy deployment of security forces, the use of tear gas against protesters, and the continuing criminalisation of the democratic movement against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
The arrests come amid renewed protests on 23th October, organised to demand the release of previously arrested activists and the withdrawal of security forces deployed in the region. Police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters, triggering panic and escalating tensions.
CASR expresses serious concern over the pattern of repression against the anti-SUMP movement. Ten activists had reportedly already been arrested before the latest crackdown, including four activists booked under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (APUAPA) in connection with their involvement in studies relating to the proposed project. The latest arrests further intensify the climate of fear and repression surrounding a movement raising legitimate questions about indigenous rights, environmental protection, displacement and the future of the Siang River.
The proposed mega-dam has generated widespread apprehensions among indigenous communities regarding its environmental, social and economic consequences. Instead of addressing these concerns through democratic dialogue and public consultation, the government’s reliance on police deployment, arrests and coercive measures undermines the very democratic process it claims to uphold.
The double standards of the BJP-led state government are particularly evident. While the Chief Minister publicly invites stakeholders and protesting groups for talks, claiming that the project will not be imposed against public consensus, the administration is simultaneously presiding over the militarisation of protest areas and the arrest of movement leaders. An invitation to dialogue cannot be credible when activists are behind bars and security forces are deployed against people demanding their rights. Genuine dialogue requires an end to intimidation, not the criminalisation of dissent.
CASR emphasises that opposition to a development project is a legitimate democratic right. The people of Siang must have the freedom to express their concerns and determine the future of their land, rivers, forests and livelihoods without facing arbitrary arrests, coercion or the threat of draconian laws.
The crackdown in Siang is part of a broader pattern in which movements defending indigenous rights, forests, land and livelihoods are increasingly met with militarisation and criminalisation. The use of repressive laws against activists opposing the SUMP raises serious concerns about the shrinking democratic space for people’s movements in the Northeast.
CASR DEMANDS:
1. Immediate and unconditional release of Ebo Mili, Otul Jerang and Tajong Talom, along with all other activists arrested in connection with the anti-SUMP movement.
2. Release of the four activists arrested under APUAPA and withdrawal of politically motivated and fabricated cases against anti-dam activists.
3. Immediate withdrawal of excessive security-force deployment from protest areas and an end to the intimidation and harassment of local communities.
4. An impartial investigation into the violence in Pasighat, including the alleged use of tear gas and stun grenades against protesters, with accountability for any unlawful police action.
5. An end to the criminalisation of peaceful dissent and a halt to the forced imposition of the proposed SUMP.
6. Meaningful dialogue with affected indigenous communities, with their concerns and informed consent placed at the centre of all decisions concerning the project.
The Siang River and the future of its people cannot be protected through repression. The government must stop treating democratic resistance as a law-and-order problem and start addressing the people’s concerns. Dialogue cannot coexist with militarisation and mass arrests.
Release all political prisoners!
Stop the militarisation of Siang!
Campaign Against State Repression
(AIRSO, APCR, ASA, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, COLLECTIVE, CRPP, CSM, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity Movement, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, Nazariya Magazine, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Samajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samajwadi Manch, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S)
