The Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards

In 1963, the Institute for Policy Studies opened its doors with the belief that progressive thought, advocacy, and action can build a better society. Ten years later, Chile's democratically elected government, led by President Salvador Allende, was overthrown by a military coup. These two histories became inextricably linked on September 21, 1976, when agents of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet detonated a car bomb that killed former Chilean diplomat and director of the Institute's Transnational Institute, Orlando Letelier, and IPS development associate, Ronni Karpen Moffitt, in Washington, DC.

Letelier had become one of the most outspoken critics of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Moffitt was a 25-year-old fundraiser who ran a “Music Carryout” that made musical instruments accessible to all.

Each year in October, the Institute for Policy Studies host the annual human rights award in the names of Letelier and Moffitt to honor these fallen colleagues while celebrating new heroes of the human rights movement from the United States and elsewhere in the Americas.

Past Awardees

1993
Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia and Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human
Rights Center in Chiapas, Mexico
Marian Kramer and the National Welfare Rights Organization

1994
Harry Belafonte (Special Recognition Award)
Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras
CONAIE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador)

1995
Jennifer Harbury (Special Recognition Award)
Rose Johnson, Georgia Project Director of the Center for Democratic Renewal
Haitian Human Rights Platform

1996
Pharis Harvey (Special Recognition Award)
Asian Immigrant Women Advocates
Leo Valladares

1997
The Rev. Dr. Mac Charles Jones (Special Recognition Award, posthumously)
Sin Fronteras Organizing Projet
Alianza Civica

1998
Rose Sanders
Coordinacion Colombia-Europa

1999
Juan Garces
Kensington Welfare Rights Union

2000
Oscar Olivera, Coordinator in Defense of Water and Life (Bolivia)
November Coalition

2001
25th Anniversary
All prior recipients honored

2002
Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini (Guatemala)
Jobs with Justice
Naúl Ojeda (Special Recognition Award, posthumously)

2003
Nancy Sanchez Mendez
CASA de Maryland
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Special Recognition Award)

2004
Seymour Hersh
Military Families Speak Out
Judge Juan Guzmán
Barrios Unidos

2006
Maher Arar and Center for Constitutional Rights
Gulf Coast Renewal Campaign

2007
Senator Gustavo Petro (Colombia)
Appeal for Redress
DC Vote (Special Recognition Award)

1978
Samuel Rubin
Reverend Benjamin Chavis, Jr.

1979
The Association of Relatives of Disappeared People, Chile
Alfred "Skip" Robinson, United League of Mississippi

1980
The Legal Aid Office of the Archdiocese of San Salvador
Reverend William Wipfler, National Council of Churches

1981
Jacobo Timerman
The Congregation of Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic

1982
Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns of Sao Paolo, Brazil
The Infant Formula Action Coalition

1983
Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) of Argentina
Father J. Bryan Hehir, U.S. Catholic Conference

1984
Dr. Ramon Custodio, President, Committee for Human Rights in Honduras
The Sanctuary Movement
Reverend Charles Harper (Special Recognition Award)

1985
The Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo (GAM) of Guatemala
The Free South Africa Movement
Frances Arbour (Special Recognition Award)

1986
The Vicariate of Solidarity (Chile)
Pete Seeger

1987
Bishop Mario Melanio Medina (Paraguay)
Washington Office on Latin America

1988
Radio Soleil (Haiti)
Charles L. Clements, M.D.

1989
The Union of Indigenous Nations of Brazil
The National Labor Committee in Support of Democracy and
Human Rights in El Salvador
Robert Scherrer (Special Recognition Award)

1990
The National Human Rights Coordinating Committee of Peru
Richard Trumka, President, United Mine Workers Union of America
Father Jim Felts and Proyecto de Cristo Rey (Special Recognition Award)

1991
Jorge Gomez Lizarazo, President, Regional Committee for the Defense
of Human Rights, Barrancabermeja, Colombia
La Mujer Obrera, El Paso, Texas

1992
Evans Paul, Mayor of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
Sam Buffone and Michael Tigar, lawyers for the Letelier-Moffitt Case
Saul Landau (Special Recognition Award)

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