18/04/12

Prinicples before profits in torture victim Ben Freeth's Zimbabwe plea

Zimbabwe farmer Ben Freeth at home in Kent

Torture victim Ben Freeth has called on multi-national companies to put principle before profit when considering business in Zimbabwe.

The farmer, from Oad Street, Sittingbourne, was punished by thugs for a historic legal victory over President Robert Mugabe.

Mike Campbell, father of Ben's wife Laura, had farmed successfully for years and employed hundreds of loyal workers.

But he was assaulted at the same time and suffered 60 blows to his head, wounds from which he died, aged 78, last April.

The Mike Campbell Foundation, launched last month at the Royal Geographical Society, aims to help victims of crimes against humanity, mainly in Zimbabwe, but also in the rest of Southern Africa.

Mr Freeth, who was awarded the MBE for his services to the Zimbabwe farming community, claimed that multinationals were more interested in money than morality.

He said: "For many multi-nationals, money comes before morality and profits are far more important than principle. But when you start to hit their pockets, then suddenly they become quite principled."

Mr Freeth spelt out the consequences of the Zimbabwe government's land grab policy. Ben Freeth with Archbishop of York John Sentamu at the Royal Geographical Society, London

Ben Freeth with Archbishop of York John Sentamu at the Royal Geographical Society, London

He said: "I come from a country that used to be the bread basket of Africa - but when I go to the rural areas where that food was produced I find only desolation, hunger, suffering and extreme poverty.

"We became the fastest shrinking economy in history in a peace time situation. GDP per capita income more than halved. Production plummeted - our wheat crop last year was a paltry 10,000 tons - from over 300,000 tons 10 years ago - less than 5% of former times and the lowest crop since 1907.

"Our maize crop this year will result in massive starvation for the 10th year in a row unless the world feeds us yet again."

Guest speaker Archbishop Sentamu, who cut up his dog collar and pledged not to wear it again until Mugabe was gone, applauded Ben's courage: "May the present basket case become once again the bread basket of southern Africa."

More details at www.mikecampbellfoundation.com.