Wu Lihong

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Wu Lihong (吴立 红, * 1968 in Yixing ) is a Chinese environmental activist . His main field of activity was the environmental problem around Lake Tai , the third largest freshwater lake in China which overturned in 2007 , whereupon several megacities such. B. Wuxi ran out of drinking water . In April 2007, Wu Lihong was sentenced to imprisonment for his involvement , from which he was released in 2010.

Life

Wu Lihong was born in 1968 to a farmer in Yixing City, Jiangsu Province . In 1991 he first became aware of the pollution of Lake Tai. The water often changed color from red to yellow to black. The lake was heavily polluted by untreated industrial sewage. About 36 million people live on the shores of the lake. He is considered one of the most beautiful of China is the third largest lake in the country and is located in the Yangtze - Delta in the city of Wuxi . Like Lake Tai, 70 percent of all rivers and lakes in China are considered polluted. Despite the environmental damage, farmers continue to plant rice and vegetables here. The lake water was used for drinking water preparation.

Wu Lihong wanted to expose these abuses and collected extensive evidence. He published pictures of the lake, petitions to the central government in Beijing and turned to the press . Wu Lihong denounced more than 3,000 polluters (mainly industrial companies) who discharged their sewage into Lake Tai and its tributaries. His campaign, which spanned several years, made him famous locally. When the state broadcaster China Central Television visited Wu Lihong, he was hailed as an environmental hero. He was described in the media as an environmental warrior and he achieved national fame. In 2005, the National People's Congress named Wu Lihong one of the top ten environmentalists .

At the height of his fame, Wu Lihong accepted various offers to benefit from environmental protection measures in sales. In what was considered to be a controversial process, he was charged with this activity and sentenced to long imprisonment for alleged extortion . In April 2010, Wu Lihong, who always protested his innocence, was released from custody. He said he would continue to fight against pollution.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Environmentalists in China - The indomitable Mr. Wu. ( Memento from May 21, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) On: tagesschau.de , May 18, 2010.
personal data
SURNAME Wu, Lihong
ALTERNATIVE NAMES 吴立 红
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Chinese environmental activist
DATE OF BIRTH 1968
PLACE OF BIRTH Yixing