Guwahati: With the goal of protecting the rights of the people and their resources, over 15 peoples’ organizations from different states of Northeastern India came together in Guwahati to sign the Guwahati Declaration at a people’s convention on Energy Policy in Northeast India.
Organized by the Joint Struggle Committee for Protection of Land Rights, an umbrella group representing various grassroots movements in Assam, the declaration seeks to safeguard human rights, land, water, forests, and indigenous life, which are being taken over without due consent and participation of the people.
The declaration focuses on the impacts of proposed and existing hydropower, mining, and infrastructure projects, which representatives warn could lead to the largest displacement of indigenous communities in recent times.
Representatives from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Sikkim attended the convention, raising concerns over both proposed and existing hydropower, mining, and infrastructure projects, which they said could lead to large-scale displacement of indigenous communities.
The first panel of speakers included human rights lawyer Ebo Mili from Arunachal Pradesh, activists Jewel Garlossa (Dima Hasao, Assam), Roshman Tawshik (Anjaw, Arunachal Pradesh), Giokia Madam (Upper Subansiri, Arunachal Pradesh), Dipen Rongpi (Karbi Anglong, Assam), Sobin Rabha (South Kamrup, Assam), Sikari Rongpi (Mikir Bamuni, Assam), Anyajit Hazarika (Baghjan, Assam), and John Maslai (West Karbi Anglong, Assam).
“The Guwahati Declaration is a historic moment for the people of Northeastern India,” said Pranab Doley, a convenor of the Joint Struggle Committee. “We are democratically asserting our rights and creating a framework for communities to protect their resources and grow in their own genius.”
The convention highlighted growing concerns over government-backed energy projects across the region. According to Subrat Talukdar, another convenor, these projects risk displacing thousands of indigenous people. “If central and state governments continue to push anti-people projects, Northeastern India could see over one lakh indigenous people displaced from their own land,” he warned.
Ebo Mili emphasized that the expansion of such projects is occurring alongside a breakdown in law and order, which has marginalized human rights. “Arunachal Pradesh is pursuing a 60 GW energy target at the expense of the rights of the people and their commons,” he said.
Assam’s Integrated Clean Energy Policy (2025-2030) targets the production of 11,700 MW, including 3,500 MW of solar power, over 2,000 MW of pumped storage hydro, and 3,000–5,000 MW of thermal power, totaling roughly 17,000 MW by 2030.
Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim aim to produce 58,000 MW and 8,000 MW of hydroelectricity, respectively, with several projects already under construction. Similar energy policies are also in place in other northeastern states, including Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya.
Critics question the purpose of such large-scale extraction, noting that the combined peak energy demand of the eight northeastern states is less than 5,000 MW. They also highlight the role of private corporations and international financial institutions, warning that these projects could lead to environmental degradation, resource exploitation, and displacement of local communities.
Past incidents, including the Baghjan oil blowout, mining accidents in Meghalaya and Assam, and structural risks from the Lower Subansiri and Teesta dams, underscore these concerns.
The convention provided a platform for communities directly affected by these projects to voice their experiences. Resistance from areas such as Karbi Anglong, BTR, Rabha Hasong, Siang, Teesta, Mapithel, and Nagaon has grown in response to land acquisition and resource exploitation, with support from civil society groups, workers’ unions, and regional political organizations.
The Guwahati Declaration calls for the full implementation of constitutional safeguards for indigenous communities, including the 6th Schedule provisions in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, and Articles 371(A/F/G) for Nagaland, Sikkim, and Mizoram.
It demands the repeal of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, which currently exempts forest land near international borders from protections.
The declaration also stresses the need for mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Social Impact Assessments for all proposed and ongoing projects. It calls for regular and transparent safety audits of oil sector infrastructure, along with the enforcement of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) in line with United Nations guidelines and ILO conventions.
Communities must be consulted, and public hearings conducted to ensure fair compensation under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013. Moreover, the declaration calls for full implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, granting communities and gram sabhas the authority to manage their land and forests.
It opposes mining in areas without community consent and large-scale “green energy” projects, including mega dams, mega solar parks, and pump storage facilities, that could threaten local livelihoods.
It also advocates against privatization of the energy sector, calls for 100 percent job reservation for project-affected communities, and demands zero tolerance for human rights violations, particularly against rights defenders and whistleblowers.
Organized by the Bhoomi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti, the convention emphasized the urgent need for policies that protect indigenous rights and promote sustainable development in Northeastern India.
Organizing members included Adv. Santanu Borthakur, Bikram Hanse, Adv. Ebo Mili, Pranab Doley, Subrat Talukdar, Krishna Gogoi, Bidisha Barman, Pakhiraj Rabha, Debojit Choudhury, Lakhiram Mardi, Sikari Rongpi, and Bhaskar Saikia.
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