Sonia Pierre
Solange Pierre(July 4, 1963 – December 4, 2011), known asSonia Pierre,was ahuman rightsadvocate in theDominican Republicwho worked to endantihaitianismo,which is discrimination against individuals of Haitian origin either born inHaitior in theDominican Republic.[1]For this work, she won the 2006Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.[2]
Early life
[edit]Pierre was born inVilla Altagracia,San Cristóbal,Dominican Republic, on July 4, 1963[3]to parents of Haitian origin (her mother migrated with a temporary work permit in 1957 but overstayed this permit, and her father entered the Dominican territory irregularly).[4][5]One of twelve children,[6]she was raised in a migrant worker camp called abatey,where many of Haitian descent live. Her birth certificate lists her name asSolain Pie,which Pierre "says is the result of an error by a government clerk."[1]Her nationality was disputed by theJunta Central Electoralon the grounds that her birth certificate is forged, the residence status of her Haitian parents and the lack of evidentiary documentation from Haiti.[4][5][7]
At the age of 14, she organized a five-day protest by sugar cane workers on one of the country's bateyes, which led to her being arrested. However, the protest attracted enough public attention that the workers' demands – namely, to have their living quarters painted and be given better tools and pay raises – were met.[8]
Career
[edit]Pierre became an activist at the age of 14, when she was arrested for being the spokesperson of a group of Haitian sugar-cane cutters in her migrant labor village who were protesting for better wages and living conditions.
Pierre worked as director of the non-governmental organization Movement for Dominican Women of Haitian Descent (MUDHA),[2]which aims to endantihaitianismoor bias against individuals from Haiti or people of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic.
In 2005, Pierre petitioned theInter-American Court of Human Rightson the case of two ethnic Haitian children who were denied Dominican birth certificates. CalledYean and Bosico v. Dominican Republic,the case "upheld human rights laws prohibiting racial discrimination in access to nationality and citizenship."[2]The court also ordered the Dominican government to provide the birth certificates.
However, the Dominican Supreme Court later ruled that Haitian workers using work visas were considered 'in transit' or 'not legally in the country' and that their children were therefore not entitled to citizenship. "[1]
Awards and honors
[edit]For her work, Pierre won the 2006Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Awardhanded down by former USSenatorTed Kennedy.[2]In presenting the award to Pierre, Kennedy quoted a longtime friend of hers who said: "I am a better person today for having met, worked, and traveled this road with Sonia Pierre. With certitude, I can affirm that Sonia is one of the most selfless, courageous and compassionate human beings of my generation."[9]
Pierre also wonAmnesty International's 2003 Human RightsGinetta Sagan Fund Award,[8]and she and MUDHA were nominated for theUNESCO Prize for Human Rights Educationin 2002.[10]
In 2008, she was awarded theGiuseppe Motta Medalfor the protection of human rights.[11]She was also honored by theUnited States Department of Statewith a 2010International Women of Courage Award.[12]
Death
[edit]On December 4, 2011, Pierre died at the age of 48 from a heart attack while being rushed to the hospital in Villa Altagracia, San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abc"A Rights Advocate's Work Divides Dominicans"by Marc Lacey, The New York Times, September 29, 2007.
- ^abcd"DOMINICAN BORN HAITIAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST WINS 2006 RFK HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD"ArchivedOctober 12, 2007, at theWayback MachinePress Release, RFK Memorial Center, accessed September 28, 2007.
- ^Franco-Soto, Ana (2016). "Pierre, Sonia (1963–2011)". In Knight, Franklin W.; Gates, Jr, Henry Louis (eds.).Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro–Latin American Biography.Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-199-93580-2.– viaOxford University Press's Reference Online(subscription required)
- ^abRamírez, Juan M. (March 31, 2007)."Critican quieran anular acta nacimiento Sonia Pierre"(in Spanish). Hoy.RetrievedJanuary 2,2015.
- ^abMoreno, Pilar (March 30, 2007)."JCE pedirá anulación acta de nacimiento Sonia Pierre"(in Spanish). Santo Domingo:Listín Diario.RetrievedJanuary 2,2015.
- ^"Activist Sonia Pierre Receives RFK Award"by Andrew Miga, The Associated Press, printed in the Washington Post, November 17, 2006.
- ^"Jurista asegura Sonia Pierre no es dominicana"Dominican jurist affirms that Solange Pierre is not Dominican "by Antonio Santana. March 11, 2010dominicanoshoy.com
- ^ab"Dominican-born Sonia Pierre Wins Amnesty International's 2003 Human Rights Award for Working for Her People"by Tequila Minsky, April 2003, Haitian Support Group website, accessed September 29, 2007.
- ^"Dominican Activist Sonia Pierre Receives RFK Award".blog.thedemocraticdaily.com.RetrievedNovember 4,2013.
- ^"Interview: Solange Pierre, focusing on Dominican-Haitian immigration" by Charles Arthur, Latin American Press, October 16, 2002.
- ^"Giuseppe Motta Medal".February 22, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon February 22, 2014.RetrievedDecember 28,2019.
- ^"Secretary Clinton With First Lady Michelle Obama and Honoree Sonia Pierre of the Dominican Republic".United States Department of State. March 3, 2010.RetrievedAugust 7,2010.
- ^"Sonia Pierre Obituary: View Sonia Pierre's Obituary by The Columbus Dispatch".Legacy.com. December 4, 2011.RetrievedDecember 5,2011.
External links
[edit]- Leticia Pierre remembers her mother's legacy, video fromBarnard Center for Research on Women[1]