William Leslie Amanzuru
Member
A Ugandan human rights defender from Northern Uganda whose work focuses on environmental protection and climate justice. William Amanzuru is the founder of Friends of Zoka, an organisation campaigning for an end to illegal logging in Zoka Forest in West Madi Forest Reserve,Moyo. Since learning more about the reality and effects of climate change, Mr. Amanzuru has made it his mission to combat illegal logging in Zoka Forest, in the process exposing the connections between illegal activities in his local area and systems of corruption that feed into the illicit global lumber trade.
Despite threats and intimidation against him, William has continued his activism. Through Friends of Zoka, he has also been involved in reforestation efforts and contributing to documentaries and other efforts to expose the illegal practices damaging his local community. He is European Union Human Rights Defender of the year 2019.
However, it is the smell of freshly cut timber that welcomes today’s visitors at the edge of the forest, where mounds of felled trees become part of a flourishing illegal trading network.
