San Francisco: Six environmental activists from
different parts of the world were honoured with the annual Goldman Environmental
Prize - often considered the Nobel Prize for those working to protect the
planet's ecology.
Among those to receive the $125,000 prizes were Yu Xiaogang, a Chinese activist
who led opposition to the construction of dams in the Three Rivers area;
Craig Williams, an American veteran of the Vietnam War battling to ensure
safe disposal of US chemical weapons stockpiles; and Silas Kpnan'Ayoung Siakor,
a Liberian who exposed the illegal logging that paid for the war in his
country.
The other recipients were Tarcisio Feitosa da Silva, who led efforts to
protect tropical forests in Brazil; Olya Melen, a lawyer who fought to stop
construction of an environmentally destructive canal in Ukraine; and Anne
Kajir for uncovering government support for illegal logging in Papua New
Guinea.
The $750,000 prize was started in 1990 by San Francisco philanthropist Richard
Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda. Awards have since been given to 113 people
in 67 countries. One past Goldman winner, Wangari Maathai, went on to win
the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
