William Leslie Amanzuru
William Leslie Amanzuru | |
|---|---|
 William Leslie Amanzuru at Oslo Freedom Forum 2019 | |
| Nationality |  Ugandan |
| Known for | environmental human rights activist |
William Leslie Amanzuru is a Ugandan environmental human rights activist and team leader at friends of Zoka in Uganda.[1][2][3][4]
Background
[edit]Born in Adjumani district in north western Uganda, Amanzuru grew in the Area around Zoka forest a forest reserve in west Nile Uganda.[1][5][6]
Career
[edit]Troubled by illegal exploitation of the forest resources, Amanzuru decided to do something to ensure that Zoka forest is preserved. In 2015, Amanzuru together with the community founded a group called "friends of Zoka", a group of environmental activists that love Zoka central forest reserve to stop illegal plundering of the reserve by illegal loggers, timber dealers and charcoal dealers.[3][1][5][7]
At the onset of the friends of Zoka, the group coordinated their activities on a watsap group to track loggers and inform each other in case of any activity that warranted action.[3][5][8][9]
Amanzuru met stiff resistance from powerful Uganda army and police officers who were complacent in the illegal timber trade. He faced death threats, break ins at his home and has had to move his family 500 km away in search of safety.[3][5][10][11]
He and other activists have organized events to sensitize the public about the dangers of climate change. In 2019 they organized a 470 km walk to save Zoka forest, the walk started from Kampala the capital city of Uganda up to Zoka forest in Adjumani district and lasted for 15 days.[5][12]
Awards
[edit]Amanzuru was the recipient of the European Union human rights Defenders Award 2019 in Uganda for his work that focuses on environmental protection and climate justice.[1][13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Ugandan environmental rights defender William Amanzuru wins EU Human Rights Defenders' Award 2019 | EEAS Website". www.eeas.europa.eu. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "William Amanzuru". Front Line Defenders. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ a b c d Koigi, Bob. "William Amanzuru on the price of defending Uganda's forests". FairPlanet. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "Environmental Activism for Wildlife Protection in Uganda | Planetary Security Initiative". www.planetarysecurityinitiative.org. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ a b c d e "Uganda's forests are disappearing. He's fighting back". Christian Science Monitor. 2019-09-24. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "Amanzuru wins EU Human Rights Defenders' award". The East African. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "Human Rights Defender of the Month: William Leslie Amanzuru - DefendDefenders". 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "William Amanzuru on saving Zoka forest. ⋆ Souwie on ..." 2019-12-27. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ Musoke, Ronald (2021-04-26). "Race on to restore Uganda's forests". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "Police on the spot over fresh plunder of Zoka forest reserve". Monitor. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ Rupiny, David. "Zoka Forest: Illegal Lumbering Going On Unabated". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "Adjumani locals, leaders to meet over Zoka forest plunder -". 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "Ugandan, William Amanzuru, wins EU Human Rights defenders' award 2019". Nile Post. 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2022-06-15.