Who is Katon Moyong? Anti-SUMP activist rejects Arunachal govt’s offer of talks, praises China’s dam technology and questions India’s engineering prowess

· OpIndia

So-called environmental activist Katon Moyong has rejected the Arunachal Pradesh government’s offer of talks over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). He said the time for negotiations had passed. Speaking to Eastern Journal, a local media outlet, during a press briefing on Thursday, 5th November, Moyong said the government had missed its chance to resolve the issue through discussions.

During his address, Moyong dismissed the government’s national security justification for constructing the dam on the Siang River, framing the strategic argument as a mere tool to suppress local public resistance.

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The latest statement came days after Delhi Police detained him last Saturday for gheraoing the Arunachal Bhawan in the national capital while protesting against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. 

The protests in Delhi were triggered when demonstrators gheraoed Arunachal Bhawan, demanding the immediate release of all individuals detained during agitations across Arunachal Pradesh, the total withdrawal of the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), and the immediate removal of Central Armed Police Forces deployed throughout the state.

Echoing Beijing: How an anti-Dam briefing turned into a pro-China pitch

Instead of presenting balanced environmental concerns, Moyong’s press briefing quickly turned into an extensive advertisement for Chinese technological capabilities and infrastructure projects. Throughout his discourse, Moyong repeatedly referenced Beijing’s engineering skills while criticising Indian institutions, painting China as an unmatched leader in hydropower technology.

By continuously framing Indian personnel as outsiders and portraying Chinese engineering efforts in a favourable light, the entire tone of his address shifted away from legitimate ecological advocacy into an anti-India narrative that directly mirrors propaganda originating across the border.

Who is Katon Moyong?

Katon Moyong, a self-proclaimed environmental engineer and activist widely known as ‘Abor Man’, has positioned himself at the forefront of the opposition against the proposed mega-dam on the Siang River. Representing the youth wing of the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF), Moyong has organised anti-Siang protests and reportedly travelled to 56 local villages to mobilise public opinion against the project’s potential impact on indigenous communities.

During his 5th November briefing, Moyong expressed sharp opposition to the security posture of the Indian state, particularly criticising the deployment of armed forces in a highly sensitive border zone like Arunachal Pradesh. He accused the government of being incompetent for failing to pursue democratic dialogue directly with China and took the extreme step of calling the presence of the Indian Army on local land illegal. Suggesting that the border should be opened, Moyong remarked, “Open your borders with China and do trade with them if you want development.”

He continued his attack on the administration and state institutions, questioning their capacity to handle diplomatic affairs. He alleged, “You are a failed politician and bureaucrat because you don’t have the knowledge, you don’t have the capacity to sit with the diplomats and bureaucrats of China and talk about this issue and solve this issue verbally, peacefully.” 

He then alleged that the government was deploying excessive security personnel in the Abor, Adi and Siang valleys to intimidate local residents. Claiming that the ratio of security personnel to the local population had become disproportionate, he said, “Right now the ratio of forces and Adi people is like in every corner of the village. For every six Adi people there’s one armed personnel.”

Moyong then targeted security personnel guarding the strategic northeastern state, alleging, “You are an illegal in our land. According to our traditional council, you are an illegal.” He followed this statement with an open challenge to the forces and threatened, “You will be removed peacefully or by force soon.”

Such remarks came at a time when the government has cited national security concerns while explaining the importance of the proposed project, particularly in view of China’s upstream infrastructure plans on the Yarlung Tsangpo, which flows into India as the Siang and later the Brahmaputra.

Praising Chinese infrastructure while criticising Indian Engineers

Moyong’s briefing shifted to a defence of Chinese dam projects along the upper stretches of the river system. Expressing admiration for China’s engineering methods and claiming that he had studied China’s dam technology for the past two years, Moyong said, “On the Chinese side, as an environmental engineer, I have learned, I have did my research for the past two years. I know China is not making a concrete gravity wall dam.”

He then elaborated on his definition of a water bomb threat, contrasting it with Beijing’s operations, “A water bomb is something when a river is flowing and from left bank to right bank, when you make a concrete wall called concrete gravity dam, and you store a huge amount of water, and then when an enemy wants to attack this nation, they fly with fighter jet or bomb this dam, concrete wall, then the water release suddenly to the population. That is called a water bomb.”

However, while raising concerns about India’s project, he presented China’s proposed infrastructure in a completely different light. According to Moyong, China was not constructing a conventional concrete gravity dam but was using a different technology to divert the river. Moyong dismissed concerns regarding Chinese infrastructure and claimed that Beijing’s activity does not constitute a threat, “So China is not making a dam, it is taking this natural U-turn.”

He continued to criticise Indian capabilities while doing PR of Chinese technology. He further described China’s proposed project as a run-of-the-river hydropower project and claimed that it would divert water through a shorter route instead of storing it in a large reservoir. While doing so, he also targeted Indian engineers and the government, questioning their technological capabilities.

Calling China’s approach a high-tech development, he said, “They’re not storing the water. They’re just diverting the water in a shortcut, which is 2 kilometers of elevation. That’s how China is using. It’s a high-tech technology which our Indian engineers, Indian government doesn’t have any capacity.”

Moyong did not stop at praising China’s proposed technology. He went on to attack Indian administrative bodies and diplomats, arguing that Indian officials should seek guidance directly from Beijing, “And we have in Union of India, Ministry of External Affairs. We have Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We have IFS, Indian Administrative Service, IS, Indian Foreign Service. So what are these people doing? The bureaucrats and the politicians, MP and MLAs, CMs. Instead of putting this pressure on the people, saying national security, water bomb, China will damage India. You should go to China. You should go to Beijing, talk with Xi Jinping and his diplomats.”

According to Moyong, the primary function of Indian diplomats should be to solicit water-sharing terms from China. He said, “You have a duty to go to China and speak to them about what is the water sharing treaty. How can we limit the damage? How can we do this? Even if the China builds a concrete gravity dump, it’s your duty.”

Towards the end of the briefing, Moyong again targeted the security personnel deployed in the region and questioned their authority to ask residents about their movements.

He concluded his statements by issuing a challenge to deployed military forces and said, “Don’t you think we will be intimidated? We are not intimidated. When your army and armed forces ask our villagers who are going to the farms with their dhows, when you ask them where are you going, actually we are the one asking you. Who are you wearing your ballistic helmet, bulletproof vest, carrying AK-47, your tactical boots, standing there in a camouflage dress asking us who am I, who are we? We will ask you who are you.”

Anti-SUMP protests turned violent in Arunachal Pradesh

Before the demonstrations reached Delhi, violent disruptions occurred across parts of Arunachal Pradesh. On Friday, 23rd October, a mob caused widespread vandalism and arson in Pasighat, East Siang district. During the violence, rioters set fire to an office of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and a local police station, along with seven police vehicles. Protesters breached police barricades, pelted stones at security personnel, and attacked the residences of political leaders, including BJP MLA Ninong Ering, NPP MLA Oni Panyang, and BJP state president Kaling Moyong.

A mob of 150 to 200 individuals carrying weapons attempted to enforce an illegal 12-hour bandh across Siang, Upper Siang, and East Siang districts, severely disrupting daily life and forcing local businesses to shut down. Protesters demanded the release of 10 individuals arrested during earlier agitations, the complete withdrawal of security forces, and an immediate halt to the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) survey work.

What is the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project?

The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) is a proposed 11,000-megawatt mega-infrastructure and hydroelectric project planned along the Siang River in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The project has a primary geopolitical and strategic objective to protect India’s water security against China’s upstream infrastructure on the Yarlung Tsangpo (the Siang/Brahmaputra).

The project, being executed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), is designed to be the largest hydroelectric installation in the Indian subcontinent upon completion. Beyond power generation, its large storage capacity serves as a flood-control mechanism to regulate water discharge during peak monsoon seasons, protecting downstream regions in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It will also act as a massive storage reservoir to buffer against potential flash floods or sudden water flow manipulations caused by upstream Chinese dam projects.

The project is expected to drive economic and social growth, generate employment and self-employment opportunities for locals.

From historical arguments to repeated praise of China

While Katon Moyong began his public address framing his opposition by presenting what he described as historical evidence of the proposed project and the decades-long opposition of the Adi community. His discourse ultimately praised China‘s proposed hydropower technology, questioned India’s engineering capabilities, asked Indian leaders to negotiate directly with Xi Jinping and described Indian security personnel deployed in the region as illegal occupants.

By trivialising upstream construction risks by China, attacking the deployment of Indian armed forces in border regions, and dismissing the technological capacity of Indian engineers, the statement of so-called activist Katon Moyong departed from traditional environmental advocacy and aligned closely with anti-national rhetoric.

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