2009 IWOC award nomination of Sonia Pierre

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001394

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KWMN PHUM PGOV KPAO DR
SUBJECT: 2009 IWOC award nomination of Sonia Pierre

REF: A) 07SDO335; B) SDO 865; C) SDO 962


1. (SBU) Summary: Embassy Santo Dominigo nominates Sonia Pierre,
founder and leader of MUDHA (Movement of Dominican-Haitian Women)
for the 2009 International Women of Courage (IWOC) award. Ms.
Pierre has, for years, demonstrated courage, leadership and
perseverance in advancing the cause of Haitian and
Haitian-descended women and men in the face of threats, racism and
host government opprobrium. Accordingly, she merits this award
which might produce some well-deserved discomfort among parts of
the Dominican Republic's society - who have benefitted far too long
from the exploitation of low-cost and vulnerable labor by illegal
Haitians and undocumented Haitian-descended persons. Ms. Pierre
was nominated by this embassy in 2007 (reftel A) and the time has
come for her to receive the award. End Summary



Background


2. (SBU) As noted in reftel A, Pierre founded and has led MUDHA
for years, despite receiving death threats and periodic criticism
from government officials and business leaders. MUDHA works to
address the problems that Haitians and their children born in the
Dominican Republic (DR) face, principally the social and economic
insecurity generated by the failure of the governments of the
Dominican Republic and of Haiti to document such people properly.
This vulnerable population is then often denied social services and
benefits. For example, undocumented children cannot stay in school
beyond eight years of age and undocumented workers are often denied
their labor rights and their access to social security, pensions
and severance pay . Conditions in bayetes (rural settlements in
sugar-cane growing areas, reftel B) are often appalling -
poor-quality housing, poor sanitation (or access to water),and
poor education and health facilities. The move in recent years of
large numbers of people of Haitian descent from the countryside to
the cities has exacerbated tensions between them and Dominicans.
As has been reported repeatedly (e.g., reftel C),violence against
Haitians, those of Haitian descent, or even those thought to be
Haitian, occurs with some frequency.



Record of Accomplishments


4. (SBU) The successes of Sonia Pierre and MUDHA include, but are
not limited to:

a) Keeping MUDHA going, despite threats against her and her family
(reftel A) and verbal attacks from government officials and
business leaders.

b) In 2008, MUDHA built a total of 47 houses in two bateyes that
are among the poorest of the poor and which had yet to recover from
hurricanes Noel and Olga. (Note: Such housing was not part of any
Government plan. End Note).

c) MUDHA, with the support of various individuals, instituted a
program in several bateyes to provide food and medicine.

d) MUDHA has ensured that at least 12 elderly people are receiving
benefits, although the CEA alleges that these persons do not
qualify for a pension, despite their having worked for decades in
the sugar industry.

e) MUDHA supported the construction of an aqueduct in the community
of Palmarejo , thus benefiting 250 families.

f) MUDHA also has formed networks to provide services to address
issues of adolescent pregnancy and the prevention of sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs, including HIV/AIDS).

g) MUDHA has been instrumental in raising the human rights concerns
with respect to Dominicans of Haitian descent, in Washington and at
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. (Note: As stated in
reftel A: Sonia Pierre herself was a petitioner in the landmark
case before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Yean and
Bosico v. Dominican Republic, in which the Court ordered the
Dominican Republic to reform its discriminatory procedures with
respect to birth registration. She has been a leading voice in the
fight to urge the government to respect that ruling, as well as in
other fundamental struggles in defense of the rights of the
Haitian-Dominican community. End Note)

h) Despite hostility, MUDHA has also persevered in maintaining
channels of communication with Government agencies; it even
appears that the flow of information has improved recently.


5. (U) Biographical Note: Solange Pierre (known as Sonia Pierre)
was born in 1963 on Dominican soil to parents of Haitian descent.
She won the 2006 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights award, as well as
the Human Rights Ginetta Sagan Fund Award from Amnesty
International in 2003. She is now the General Coordinator of
MUDHA, the address of which is: Aptdo. Postal 136-B, Calle Pedro

A. Lluberes No. 1, Gazcue, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (tel.:
(809) 688-7430, fax: (809) 689-3532).



6. (U) For all of the foregoing, Embassy Santo Domingo nominates
Sonia Pierre for the 2009 International Women of Courage Award.
Please direct any questions to Poloff Anthony Jones, at:
joneam3@state.gov.
Lambert