(February 28, 2001) After the Kunming-based NGO Green Watershed helped lead a fight to halt construction of the Nu River dams, it lost its operating licence and its founder, Yu Xiaogang, had his personal freedom restricted.

Shanghai: Two years ago the Chinese NGO Green Watershed successfully led a fight to halt construction of hydropower stations along the pristine banks of the Nujiang river. But its victory was a pyrrhic one. While the temporary stay it secured on the power project is still in place, Green Watershed lost it its operating license and its founder Yu Xiaogang had his personal freedoms restricted. As the group discovered, opposing local officials is fraught with risk.

Agence France-Presse, February 28, 2001