India: anti-dam activists hit with false charges
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- May 1, 2012
- Event Description
Mr. Ojing Tasing, President of Siang People's Forum North Eastern State of Arunachal Pradesh has been fighting against the government's plan to construct the Lower Siang Hydro Electric Project. He and his organization were opposed to the construction of a dam for the project saying it would affect 6,708 households with a population of 34,911. The entire Rs 13,000 crore Lower Siang Hydro Electric Project is likely to affect more than 50 villages in Upper, East and West Siang districts being inhabited by the Adi community people since time immemorial. The organisation was also apprehensive that 15,000 odd migrant labourers to be engaged by the company would jeopardise the existence of the tribal population in these districts with only 54 per cent indigenous population. As a result of their effective advocacy of the negative consequences of this dam on the indigenous people of the basin, the proposed 2700 Mega Watt has been halted. However, this successful struggle of indigenous people came with a heavy price for the leaders of the movement, who selflessly fought for the rights of their fellow beings. The local administration has clamped Ojing Tasing with charges in the Yingkiong Police Station case no. 7/12, under sections 427/147/148/149/506/341/109/34 of the Indian Penal Code. His colleagues, namely Mr. Sokun Siboh, Mr. Obuk Gao, Mr. Mak Yirang and Mr. Magyar Lego have also been clamped with the similar charges since May 2012. Mr. Tasing and his colleagues have to regularly appear every month before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Yingkiong Court, which is 73 kilometres away from their houses and have to take the dilapidated hill road which is impossible to travel during rainy seasons. The long drawn legal battle has caused much physical and financial hardship to the human rights defenders.
- Impact of Event
- 5
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Right to property
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 28.217999399999997
Longitude: 94.7277528
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
Since May 2012, four activists protesting against the construction of a dam in Arunachal Pradesh Province, India, have been subjected to false criminal charges. Mr. Ojing Tasing, Mr. Sokun Siboh, Mr. Obuk Gao, Mr. Mak Yirang and Mr. Magyar Lego have to regularly appear every month before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Yingkiong Court. The long drawn legal battle has caused much physical and financial hardship to the human rights defenders.