Probe International

(December 8, 2000)

(1) Museum to store cultural relics from Three Gorges area
(2) Three Gorges reservoir will flood ancient hydrology records
(3) Plans for dredging Yangtze River announced
(4) ‘Living fossil’ plants moved out of Three Gorges region
(5) Citizens call for halt to dam-building in Asia
(6) Ministry of Water Resources approves Yellow River hydro scheme

(December 11, 2000) Three Gorges dam a time bomb, reports Asiaweek

(December 15, 2000)

(1) Yangtze flood control chief says, keep the alarm bells ringing
(2) Thousands of Three Gorges residents slated for resettlement in 2001
(3) Yangtze River cities launch water clean-up and conservation campaign

(January 15, 2001) A central China settlement was put under official guard for months after villagers protested the destruction of their homes, as part of a local government plan to rebuild the area to accommodate Three Gorges dam migrants.

(January 18, 2001) The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that about one-third of the people forced from their homes by the Three Gorges Dam project have said they are not satisfied with the locations chosen by the authorities.

(January 22, 2001) Official sources said yesterday that Cha Keming, a former deputy minister of power and vice-general manager of the State Power Corporation, had been formally arrested for taking bribes during power project tenders.

(February 14, 2001) Chinese officials alarmed at looming environmental crisis at Three Gorges dam, internal documents reveal.

(February 17, 2001) South China Morning Post follows up Probe International’s lead on government attempt to mislead public. Leaked documents cast doubt on government claims about Three Gorges dam.

(March 2, 2001)

(1) China schedules progress of Three Gorges Project
(2) Chinese media picks up on TGP’s lead

(March 5, 2001)

(1) Residents in Three Gorges reservoir area apply to move out
(2) Clean-up of river a sham – academic
(3) Insurers share 3 Gorges coverage
(4) Two more Yangtze dams planned
(5) Resettlement rules
(6) Project to be launched to improve the environment of Three Gorges area

(March 13, 2001)

(1) Plan curbs Three Gorges pollution
(2) China speeds up plans for water diversion project
(3) Thousands to be moved for water transfer project

(March 23, 2001) A Three Gorges Probe exclusive: Five farmers who helped organize petitions by communities being resettled to make way for the Three Gorges dam have been abducted by police in the last three weeks.

(April 10, 2001)

(1) U.S. scientists predict Three Gorges dam could alter climate
(2) Severe drought threatens power production at China’s Ertan dam
(3) 75,000 people to be relocated as part of Longtan Power Station project

(June 27, 2001) Chongqing municipality has pledged to spend more than one billion dollars cleaning up the heavily polluted Yangtze River to prevent the dam’s 600-kilometre reservoir from becoming a cesspool.

(July 19, 2001) Hong Kong journal ZhengMing openly questions charges against Three Gorges farmers arrested for trying to expose corruption.