Under the banner of North-East Human Rights (NEHR), the citizen group sent a letter to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister condemning leaders who have expressed support for the dam.“We are condemning leaders such as the CM Pema Khandu, Dy CM Chowna Mein, and the MLAs Ojing Tasing, Ninong Ering, Alo Libang, and Oni Payang for supporting the SUMP dam. A few days ago, the Dy CM Chowna Mein held a meeting in Delhi with dam developers like SJVN and NEEPCO to expedite their work on 13 other mega hydropower projects,” stated the letter.The letter further argued that the proposed SUMP violates international treaties protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.“India is signatory to treaties such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) Article 32(2) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169, which clearly say Indigenous people must actively participate in the planning and implementation of projects affecting their land resources,” the letter stated.The deployment of military forces has ignited a larger debate on the ethical and legal implications of the dam, further intensifying opposition from local communities and rights groups.
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