10.10.2011

Peaceful Dam Protest Turns Bloody in Arunachal Pradesh India

A message from Roland Stevenson.

The world's third largest river system and the bread basket of well over 100 million people in North East India and Bangladesh is in jeopardy. Please consider the following incident from last week.

I apologize for the graphic images, but there is bad news coming out of Roing, Arunachal Pradesh, where the Dibang meets the Brahmaputra. Students who were organizing against the dam hearings were inaccurately labeled as Maoists. During the Durga Puja two days ago police shot at them. Below are some disturbing pictures sent to me following a Freedom of Information Release by one of the human rights lawyers we're working with to oppose the dam. Luckily there were no fatalities.

This month there are many hearings scheduled on dams in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, including the large Siang and Dibang dams. We set up operations near the Siang five years ago to train locals in river-tourism practices that are economically viable alternatives to dams, while predicting this issue would come to a head. Large portions of the population are against the dams, but they are being pushed through by a powerful private company. Many have said that the dam company, Jaypee, is buying out political and police leaders to subdue opposition, and that is certainly the feeling in Roing.

Please share and/or cover this if you can. Let me know if I can help to answer any questions or put you in touch with our people.

Thanks,
Roland Stevenson


Maoist labeling of students, some were of high-school age:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/guwahati/Arunachal-tribe-branded-Maoists-to-check-anti-dam-protests/Article1-755336.aspx

And a link quoting the CM of Assam as labeling the protesters as "left wing extremists" rather than the legitimate, peaceful protesters that they are.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=oct0811/at07


Sunil's Message:

Dear All,

Please find enclosed FIR, injured photos of victim,list injured,
presently victims are admitted at Dibrugarh and treatment going on .
Please see more detail in dibangnews.com, and the
standardtribunal.blogpost. Roing police under the head of Veenu Basal
and his wife Deputy Commissioner using police force and they were
provoking public in different occassion to take action against the
youth and public. Some months back police issued fake media report
alleging that moaist has been working with anti-dam groups. Linking
up some underground and wanted to sabotage the people’s movement
against the dam activist and to get the public hearing done which is
fixed on 24 Oct 2011. The public hearing is being protested and was
cancelled ten times. The same tactics were condemned by the public at
public meeting. Now this tactics paved off and unarmed student
present in the puja pandal were shot, by chasing them.After the
shooting incident, SP tried to enter the hospital but was not allowed,
he blank fired.

Hope strong action against police and magistrate

Any other documents required let me know

With regards
Advocate and HR activist

Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh