GOOD MAN, GOOD REFORMER, IS NOW UNFAIRLY A TARGET

In regard to your article "Stephan Schmidheiny: Billionaire Swiss Activist
Faces His Own Past on Environment" (Dec. 9):

I met 15 years ago. I didn't look him up; he knocked on my door. He had
read my book "The Other Path," a challenge to Peru's Shining Path terrorist
movement, and wanted to know how he could help. I was hard at work trying
to bring Peru's poor into the legal system by providing them with such
essential tools for development as property and other human rights. I was
also trying to extricate Peru coca farmers from the world's drug wars by
driving a legal wedge between them and the traffickers and terrorists.

Stephan helped me strategize solutions and organize forums to spread the
word about our ideas. He funded my organization's work. He even put
together the first group of European multinationals to support the Peruvian
government in implementing a coca substitution program (which Peru's
president did not follow up on, unfortunately). Those were tough times: the
Shining Path shot at us and bombed our headquarters, killing some and
maiming others. The drug cartels threatened us continually. The only
businessman in the entire world who came to our aid was Stephan Schmidheiny.

Eventually, we contributed significantly to reducing coca production in
Peru by more than half; unlike in other countries, our farmers did not
become the army for terrorists or drug lords. All along Stephan knew that
by becoming our friend he was making some deadly enemies. But he never let
those risks get in the way of his original commitment to help those in peril.

I don't know much about the asbestos issue. What I do know a lot about is
Stephan Schmidheiny and the compassionate man I have worked with for years
is missing from your article. As your reporter confirmed, he was surely way
ahead of his peers in Europe in closing down asbestos operations and
developing safe substitutes wherever possible. That is the morally
responsible businessman I know.

Stephan's main problem is that he is an introvert who moves in a world of
extroverts. If he had allowed even a small light to be shined on his past
philanthropic work -- as I often urged, in vain -- he would not be such an
easy target today. He has done a lot of good and taken too little credit
for it. It would be most unjust if the new and spontaneous global order of
international accountability now under way were to punish someone who has
fought for reform while rewarding those who did nothing.

Hernando de Soto Lima, Peru