Unusual global concerns surfaced soon after Assam police personnel arrested a prominent Asomiya land rights activist while protesting against a  public-private partnership  tourism venture near the world famous Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. Assam government recently allotted around 30 bighas of land for the project comprising a five-star luxury hotel belonging to the US-based Hyatt Group and a tea tribe heritage museum at Inglay/Inle Pathar near the UNESCO world heritage site, which sparked the debate followed by protest demonstrations. Covering around 1,300 square kilometres, the Kaziranga forest reserve gives shelter to the highest number of one-horned rhinoceros in the world along with other wildlife including Bengal tiger, Asiatic elephants, buffaloes, etc. The particular land, also known as Hati Pathar (playground of elephants) allotted to Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) was reclassified allegedly without proper public consultations to  the indigenous families, which had been cultivating there for generations. The opposing voices claimed that more than 60 bighas of agricultural and community grazing land were reclassified in recent years.

A number of  international rights bodies have sought an urgent and unconditional release of  indigenous land rights activist Pranab Doley, who was picked up by a city police team from a rented accommodation in Sundarpur locality of  Guwahati on 12 July. Later Doley was handed over to Bokakhat police as a case (No 108/2026) was registered there under multiple provisions of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) including the criminal conspiracy/ intimidation, unlawful assembly, rioting, assault on public servants, etc.  He was arrested the next day in Bokakhat under eastern Assam’s Golaghat district, which hosts the administrative headquarters of Kaziranga forest reserve. For years, the land rights activist as well as socio-political leader from the indigenous Mising community of Assam has been opposing the proposed Hyatt hotel at the Kaziranga’s fringe area.

Doley, a post graduate from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, claimed that the project would negatively impact on the environmental  and traditional rights of local communities. According to the police complaint,  Doley was the mastermind of a protest demonstration at Inglay Pathar on 29 June,  where an unruly mob arrived at the construction site with weapons and damaged properties and threatened workers, where more than 10 police personnel sustained injuries. The convenor of Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee that works on indigenous rights, environmental conservation, sustainable development, and community welfare had contested the last two  assembly elections as an independent candidate but lost the electoral battles. Following Doley, the police arrested two associates (namely Amit Nag and Brijit Kutum), while Bhaskar Saikia and Rajib Pegu surrendered to the local court.

Some farming families have already left their claim on lands and subsequently received the compensation from the authorities, but a few remain undeceive. At least 12 petitioners knocked the doors of Gauhati High Court insisting that their lands were snatched away by the revenue authorities without prior notices. The higher court in June this year issued notices to the ATDC following the petition challenging the acquisition of their lands. When the matter remains in the court, the arrest of  Doley and some others, were strongly countered by various organisations namely Assam Nagarik Sanmilan, Asom Mojuri Shramik Union, Bhumi Adhikar Andolan, Assam unit of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha with many outfits.

Soon,  global rights bodies poured statements in the last few days asking for their release. London- based  Survival International promptly responded to the arrests for protesting against a planned five-star Hyatt hotel near Kaziranga that led to the eviction of over 45 Adivasi families. It is part of a wider plan by the Assam government to transfer vast tracts of land next to the park to private companies to build luxury resorts, said a statement issued by Survival International’s director Caroline Pearce, arguing that Doley has done nothing wrong and should be released immediately. The authorities must release all the arrestees and ‘cease valuing conservation and tourism over the fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples’, asserted Pearce.

Copenhagen-based International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs also condemned the arrest of Doley for his relentless opposition to the Hyatt hotel project in Kaziranga and claimed that the action was an attempt to suppress his human rights advocacy and peaceful protests in the north-eastern State of India. Calling for Doley’s urgent discharge, the Baguio (Philippines)-based Indigenous Peoples Rights International alleged that his arrest was part of a wider effort to criminalise indigenous human rights and land defenders.

Arizona (USA)-based Indigenous Rights and Protected Areas Initiative of the  Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Programme called upon the federal government in New Delhi and Assam government to release Doley and withdraw all charges arising from the legitimate and peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression with a guarantee to his physical and psychological integrity while he remains in custody, and also ensuring unhindered access to legal counsel, to his family and to independent medical care.

Chiang Mai (Thailand)-based  Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact along with the Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders Network and the Platform for Asia Indigenous Peoples Territorial Rights strongly condemned the arrest and continued detention of Doley. Expressing their unwavering solidarity with him, his family, colleagues, and the entire indigenous population of Assam, the organisations also urged India’s National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, and the international human rights community to closely monitor the case and take appropriate action to ensure the protection of  Doley’s rights and those of the affected indigenous communities.

Geneva-based  United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights also expressed deep concern over the arrest of Doley and other four citing that ‘such arrests and prosecutions can have a chilling effect on civic space and discourage others from speaking out against abuses’. “States must ensure human rights defenders are able to exercise their right to protect, defend and promote human rights and carry out their work safely and without fear of intimidation, reprisals or criminalisation,” said the group of UN experts. The International Peoples’ Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation too condemned the arrest and demanded their release.

Earlier, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticized the government for the arrests accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Dispur for using the police forces to suppress democratic dissents. The deputy leader of opposition in Lok Sabha,  Gogoi pointed out that silencing  the voices of disagreement does not match the character of Indian democracy. Assam legislator Akhil Gogoi also denounced the government actions against the activists belonging to indigenous communities.  He also demonstrated on the campus of Assam legislative assembly, where the budget session was proceeding, to highlight the issue of land-grabbing by the government.

However, Assam government argued that the proposed tourism project near Kaziranga locality would help the local people in various ways. State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that a luxury hotel will help in creating jobs and other employment opportunities for local families. He expressed dismay that some motivated elements are working against the project citing the  name of  Kaziranga and its ecological sensitivity. His views were supported by State minister and local legislator Atul Bora stating that the concerned land belongs to the government. The government, while realising the importance of increasing visitors to Kaziranga every year, decided to erect the  museum, said Bora, adding that the tea plantation community in particular and majority of people have supported the initiative wholeheartedly.