"Statement of concern and solidarity with Indigenous Peoples protesting the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, India", 27 May 2025

[Update]: Advocate Ebo Mili has been found, but we are still concerned about his safety, as well as the safety and security of the Adi communities...

The Project being implemented by the State-owned NHPC Limited (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) will be the largest hydroelectric project in the Indian subcontinent with the generation capacity between 10,000 and 12,000 MW or more...

The families affected by the Project have opposed the dam since the early 1980s and have never consented to the study." "The Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF), which represents thousands of Indigenous Peoples who will be impacted by this project, has repeatedly rejected the project...

Since 22 May 2025, the deployment of India's Central Armed Police Force in the Project sites... has caused fear and tension in Indigenous communities and prompted continued protests...

We condemn the forceful conduct of Project surveys, as it represents a blatant violation of fundamental rights under international human rights law and the Constitution of India and an arbitrary abuse of power...

Ebo has been arrested or detained three times earlier in July 2024, August 2023 and March 2022 for his legitimate activism against the Project." "In July 2024, Ebo was held for about 10 hours and released after signing a bond obliging him to refrain from any activity that could be considered 'breaching the peace' or 'causing a breach of the peace' for one year...

We call on the Government of India to withdraw armed police from the Project sites without any delay and urge the Indian authorities as well as the NHPC Limited to engage in meaningful consultations with the affected communities to obtain their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)...