China’s magical Getu National Park, situated in the
southwestern province of Guizhou, is a 70-square-kilometer geological wonder
and an ecological sanctuary. It has a majestic cave, enormous karst caverns,
complex underground river systems and rare species of swallow, fish, hemp, and
bamboo.
Photo: Petzl
The site of Petzl RockTrip 2011, an annual rock climbing
festival, Getu inspired the world’s top
climbers including Dani Andrada, Daniel Dulac, Olivier Balma, Sasha DiGiulian, Chris
Sharma, and Lynn Hill.
Photo: Petzl
For the last two years, developers backed by government
officials have relentlessly destroyed the lower cavern system, cemented stairs into
the ancient walls once scaled only by the gliding swallows and legendary locals
using stick ladders, constructed a suspension bridge and a glass
elevator.
Photo: Save Getu
To construct the expanded parking lots and gates, so throngs
of visitors can conveniently drive into the peaceful valley, developers and
officials forcibly appropriated hundreds of acres of farm and forest land from the
locals, many of the ethnic Miao descent. Local people’s protests were suppressed by police deployed by the
local officials. Four most vocal leaders were jailed for 10 days.
Now the damages to the lower portions of the caves done,
developers have moved for the “holiest of the holiest,” the Chuanshang, or
Through Upper Cave, under the Great Arch! Workers are already clearing the
delicate vegetation to make site for a hotel and restaurant!
The following two photos were taken on April 10, 2014. Within
a few days, more irreparable damages will be done! This destruction must be
stopped immediately!
Photo: Save Getu
Please help make the world aware of what is happening to
this sacred site, forward this to your
friends, your local Chinese consulates, UNESCO, WWF, to anyone who loves and
cares for all that are natural, beautiful and just.
Residents of Getu village including:
Wang Fengzhong, Luo Chaoting, Luo Yi, Liang Chaoting, Wang
Hui, Luo Dengming, Wang Xiaowu, Huang Yaomei, Wang Chengbao, Wang Zhaoguo,
Liang Zhengsong, Wang Tianzhi
April 10, 2014
A Chinese version of this petition appears on:
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_1307348dc0101j79c.html
For links to the park:
Getu as featured
in the 2011 Petzl RockTrip:
