RGS SPEECHES AND QUESTION TIME:
About Us
Presentation by Ben Freeth, Executive Director of the Mike Campbell Foundation:
“The Story Behind it All”
“… This evening I’d like to talk about some of the things we’ve been involved with recently, which will lead into Dr Theo de Jager’s presentation. I’ll go through where we have come from in taking the steps towards a resolution [of the farm compensation issue]….
“I want to start by saying that no country where unlawful, violent and widespread confiscation of property has taken place has got so far, so quickly, in getting to a place where resolution is possible…”
To listen to the full presentation, click below. [30 minutes]
NOTE: Please click on the music note icon on the right-hand bottom corner of the recording to unmute each recording.
Presentation by Dr Theo de Jager, Chairman of the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI):
“Hope for the future”
“I’m a farmer, I’m an African. I’m not a Zimbabwean – I farm in South Africa very close to Zimbabwe – but I have family who farmed there…” Dr de Jager went on to explain that SAAI, the Southern African Agri Initiative, is an agricultural interest network for farmers by farmers, that is committed to protect and promote the rights, values, ideals and needs of family farmers in the primary production sector.
Citing a positive example of hope, Dr de Jager said that after World War II, Japan’s Emperor Showa stated in a speech that never before had his ancient nation been in such a predicament and that there was only one solution: The Japanese people had to work together to rebuild their nation... And through his dream, Japan became the second largest economy in the world…
Turning to Zimbabwe, Dr de Jager said that there is no sector that can create more wealth in the shortest possible time than agriculture. But Zimbabwe will need to kick-start the value chains again… However, investors and capital will only come back if Zimbabwe can provide the certainty, security and safety required, all of which are dependent on the right policies…..
To listen to the full presentation, click below [43 minutes]
NOTE: Please click on the music note icon on the right-hand bottom corner of the recording to unmute each recording.
Virtual presentation by Hopewell Chin’ono, an award-winning Zimbabwean documentary filmmaker and international journalist.
“… Working and living in Zimbabwe as a journalist is a very difficult pursuit… Sometimes you get arrested for simply doing your work, sometimes you get harassed; sometimes people who are working in the media are beaten up…
“Sometime in 2008, I went to cover the farm invasions that were taking place, but they were not farm invasions, it was violence that was being used wholesale against the [remaining] farmers who were perceived to be supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party led by Morgan Tsvangirai. After Tsvangiai had won the election, the electoral body refused to release the results. One of the people that I came across was Ben Freeth….”
To listen to the full presentation, click below. [11 minutes]
Presentation by Fadzayi Mahere, constitutional lawyer and opposition spokesperson’s address to the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in May 17, 2023.
Two years ago, I woke up in an overcrowded jail cell in Zimbabwe’s Maximum Security Prison. No water. No toilet. No underwear. No dignity. No rights. Inmates ate watery porridge with their bare hands because spoons are not allowed.
Before lights out, we had to line up in queues for roll call – groups A, B, C and D. D was for Dangerous. Even though the other women there had committed crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and infanticide, I alone was put in the dangerous group. I had committed the dangerous crime of tweeting, tweeting against police brutality. Local police had been captured on camera smashing a baton stick into the windshield of a small public transport bus. In the video that went viral online, stood a woman, crying and grabbing the policeman by his collar. She was surrounded by a mob of people yelling that the policeman had killed the baby. The baby lay motionless and pale in the woman’s arms. By all accounts published online, the baby had died, yet the state denied the death….
To listen to the recording, click below. [11 minutes] To read the transcript online, click here.
QUESTION TIME
Panel: Ben Freeth, Dr Theo de Jager and Chief Felix Ndiweni, Paramount Chief of the Ndiweni communal land
To listen to the recording, click below. [40 minutes]
NOTE: Please click on the music note icon on the right-hand bottom corner of the recording to unmute each recording.
