Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PORTAUPRINCE1715
2007-10-24 17:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

HAITI "WOMAN OF COURAGE" 2008 NOMINEE

Tags:  KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM HA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8344
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1715 2971714
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241714Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7102
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1685
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1499
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0926
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1340
UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001715 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
G/IWI FOR ANDREA BOTTNER, SENIOR COORDINATOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM HA
SUBJECT: HAITI "WOMAN OF COURAGE" 2008 NOMINEE

REF: SECSTATE 126072

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001715

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
G/IWI FOR ANDREA BOTTNER, SENIOR COORDINATOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM HA
SUBJECT: HAITI "WOMAN OF COURAGE" 2008 NOMINEE

REF: SECSTATE 126072


1. Per reftel, Post nominates Marilyn Allien, founder of the
Haiti Legacy Foundation, for the
Seretary of State's 2008 Award for International Women of
Courage.


2. Biographical information and justification for award
selection:

Full legal name of nominee: Marilyn B. Allien
Job title/association: President, La Fondation Heritage pour
Haiti (Haiti Legacy Foundation)
Date of birth: 11/21/1955
Country of birth: Haiti
Citizenship: Haitian
Address: #1 bis, rue Gabart, Petionville, Haiti
Telephone: 011-509-513-7089
Email: marilynallien@yahoo.com
Passport number: PP1098729
Justification:

Marilyn Allien, founder of the Haiti Legacy Foundation (La
Fondation Heritage pour Haiti -- LFHH) was among the first in
Haiti to begin seriously combating corruption. After 19
years with World Vision International, a Christian relief
organization with projects in more than 100 of the poorest
communities in Haiti, Allien grew frustrated with the
government's failure to follow through on its promises to
Haiti's poor. In 1998, Allien left her position at WVI-Haiti
and founded the La Fondation Heritage pour Haiti (Haiti
Legacy Foundation). LFHH began operating in 2002 with a
grant from USAID, and became a fully accredited chapter of
Transparency International (TI) in 2005.

The idea to create a foundation to fight corruption and to
address the issues of ethics, integrity and accountability in
Haitian society stemmed from her commitment to Haiti's poor
and marginalized, especially women and children. She spent
years traveling throughout the neediest communities of Haiti
where - in spite of massive assistance from the almost 800
NGOs and charitable foundations in the country - the
situation of the poor was becoming increasingly desperate.
The root cause, she decided, was the pervasiveness of
corruption and the absence of accountability in the
management of the country's affairs. As she puts it,
''Haiti's deficiencies in the areas of ethics, integrity and
accountability have continually defeated all efforts to
construct a just, democratic society founded on the rule of
law.''

Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide blamed LFHH for
Haiti's low ranking on the TI corruption index. He claimed
the organization was attempting to destabilize the government
and had their name dragged through the mud in the press,
according to Allien. Allien says she still does not put her
address on her business cards for fear of being harassed, and
she often receives anonymous phone calls pressuring her to
''back off.''

Today, LFHH is considered the primary resource in Haiti on
addressing corruption. In 2005, the interim Haitian
government requested Allien's help to create a government
agency dedicated to fighting corruption. The result was the
formation of the Anti-Corruption Unit (Unite de Lutte Contre
la Corruption, or ULCC). LFHH was also instrumental in
pushing the UN Convention Against Corruption through the
Haitian parliament. Allien is continuing to fight for
implementation of the treaty. Prior to the 2006 national
elections, LFHH trained political parties on the duties and
obligations of elected officials and encouraged the parties
to sign an ''integrity pledge'' denouncing corruption.
Allien is currently working on draft legislation to protect
whistle-blowers, as well as working with the ULCC on a
national strategy to fight corruption in all sectors in Haiti.


3. Embassy has informed Allien of her nomination. She
responded that she is honored by the nomination and accepts
with gratitude. Post's POC for women's issues is Political
Officer Lynette M. Behnke; telephone: 011-509-222-0200, ext.
8119; email: behnkel@state.gov.
SANDERSON