Facebook withholds accounts critical of Siang dam project, including activist Ebo Mili's

The Indian government has had at least two Facebook accounts withheld in India. Both accounts are critical of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), according to a post on X. One account belongs to Ebo Mili, a lawyer and prominent anti-dam activist.

Mili is a legal advisor to the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF). He has been one of the most visible critics of the SUMP. The project is a proposed hydropower dam of more than 11,000 MW on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh.

Mili has been detained at least three times before. This happened in March 2022, August 2023 and May 2025. Each detention came after protests against the project. In May 2025, the Siang Deputy Commissioner accused him of leading a protest that violated prohibitory orders. He remained untraceable for a period afterward. This prompted concern from human rights groups over his whereabouts.

India has seen a broader pattern of such account restrictions through 2026. Dozens of Facebook, Instagram and X accounts have been withheld under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. These belong to journalists, satirists, activists and opposition figures. The government typically cites concerns of public order or national security. It often gives little further explanation. Digital rights groups, including the Internet Freedom Foundation, have raised concerns over this lack of transparency.

The Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum has consistently opposed the SUMP. It cites fears of displacement, loss of ancestral land, and inadequate consultation with affected Adi and other indigenous communities.