Bruce Harris
Encyclopedia
Bruce Harris OBE was the Executive Director of Casa Alianza
, a charity whose aims are the rehabilitation and the defence of children.
He served in this post from 1989 to September 2004, when he was fired from his post as director of Casa Alianza. According to Casa Alianza, Harris had admitted acting improperly by paying for sex with a 19-year-old Honduran who had been a resident in one of its shelters. "I assume, as I always have done, responsibility for my acts, correct or incorrect... While we all try to do our best, we are also human" said Harris in regard to the incident.
, and after high school he joined the conservative musical group Up with People
serving as an emcee from 1975 until 1980. After returning to school with a major in International Studies, he joined Save the Children
as a volunteer, and in 1989 he became the head of Covenant House
's Latin American operations as executive director of Casa Alianza.
In 1993 he had to flee with his family from Guatemala
when bullets were fired at the office where he worked after his investigations led to criminal proceedings being brought against police officers for the torture of street children. In 1998, he was tried and acquitted after charges of defamation, libel and slander were brought against him by an attorney for the Defenders Association of Adoption, María Susana Luarca Saracho because of his claims about irregular adoptions in Guatemala. In 2000, Costa Rica
n president Miguel Angel Rodríguez
accused him of plotting to damage that nation's reputation regarding its alleged child sex trade
. He spoke in support of a class action lawsuit against the government of Guatemala seeking damages for alleged state sponsored genocide.
Harris' profile at speaktruth.org states that his work led to 392 criminal prosecutions of alleged crimes involving children. Most of these prosecutions occurred subsequent to Harris having filed denunciations (complaints) of child "sexual abuse."
prosecutors investigating Harris for allegations of sexual misconduct with children. In 2005 the case was dropped because the prosecutors could not determine if any crimes had been committed, and found no evidence that Harris had abused children while they were at Casa Alianza in Honduras.
.
As director of Casa Alianza, he accepted the Olof Palme Prize
in 1996.
In 2000, he received the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Award
of one million dollars, as well as the Order of the British Empire medal. He was also listed as one of "51 heroic activists" profiled in Kerry Kennedy Cuomo's Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World.
In 2001, he was made an Officer of the British Empire
by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
, and he received the Archbishop Oscar Romero Award of the University of Dayton
, USA, for his work in defending the human rights of street children in Mexico and Central America.
Casa Alianza
Casa Alianza is an international not for profit organisation and the Latin American branch of Covenant House. It is a charity and NGO whose aims are the rehabilitation and the defence of street children. It was first set up in Guatemala in 1981, then in both Honduras and Mexico in 1986, then in...
, a charity whose aims are the rehabilitation and the defence of children.
He served in this post from 1989 to September 2004, when he was fired from his post as director of Casa Alianza. According to Casa Alianza, Harris had admitted acting improperly by paying for sex with a 19-year-old Honduran who had been a resident in one of its shelters. "I assume, as I always have done, responsibility for my acts, correct or incorrect... While we all try to do our best, we are also human" said Harris in regard to the incident.
Personal life and career
Harris grew up in DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, and after high school he joined the conservative musical group Up with People
Up with People
Up with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
serving as an emcee from 1975 until 1980. After returning to school with a major in International Studies, he joined Save the Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
as a volunteer, and in 1989 he became the head of Covenant House
Covenant House
Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless, and runaway youth. In addition to basic needs, Covenant House provides a continuum of care to homeless youth aged 16–21 designed to...
's Latin American operations as executive director of Casa Alianza.
In 1993 he had to flee with his family from Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
when bullets were fired at the office where he worked after his investigations led to criminal proceedings being brought against police officers for the torture of street children. In 1998, he was tried and acquitted after charges of defamation, libel and slander were brought against him by an attorney for the Defenders Association of Adoption, María Susana Luarca Saracho because of his claims about irregular adoptions in Guatemala. In 2000, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n president Miguel Angel Rodríguez
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría is a Costa Rican economist, lawyer, businessman, and politician. He served as President of Costa Rica from 1998 to 2002 and was briefly Secretary General of the Organization of American States in 2004, before stepping down and returning to his country to face...
accused him of plotting to damage that nation's reputation regarding its alleged child sex trade
Prostitution of children
Prostitution of children or child prostitution is the commercial sexual exploitation of children in which a child performs the services of prostitution, for financial benefit. The term normally refers to prostitution by a minor, or person under the local age of majority...
. He spoke in support of a class action lawsuit against the government of Guatemala seeking damages for alleged state sponsored genocide.
Harris' profile at speaktruth.org states that his work led to 392 criminal prosecutions of alleged crimes involving children. Most of these prosecutions occurred subsequent to Harris having filed denunciations (complaints) of child "sexual abuse."
Allegations of misconduct
In 2004, Harris was dismissed from his post after he admitted that he had paid for sex with a 19 year old man. This young man had, as a child, been a resident of Casa Alianza until 2002. Harris stated he resigned from Casa Alianza in order to spend more time with his family. Casa Alianza's parent organization Covenant House stated he was actually dismissed. In 2004, Harris said that he would cooperate with the HonduranHonduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
prosecutors investigating Harris for allegations of sexual misconduct with children. In 2005 the case was dropped because the prosecutors could not determine if any crimes had been committed, and found no evidence that Harris had abused children while they were at Casa Alianza in Honduras.
Awards and recognition
In 1991 Harris was named a "Hero of Human Rights" by Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
.
As director of Casa Alianza, he accepted the Olof Palme Prize
Olof Palme Prize
The Olof Palme Prize is an annual prize awarded for an outstanding achievement in the spirit of Olof Palme. The Prize consists of a diploma and 75,000 US dollars.-Receivers of the Olof Palme Prize :*1987 Cyril Ramaphosa...
in 1996.
In 2000, he received the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Award
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad N. Hilton. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979 when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate...
of one million dollars, as well as the Order of the British Empire medal. He was also listed as one of "51 heroic activists" profiled in Kerry Kennedy Cuomo's Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World.
In 2001, he was made an Officer of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, and he received the Archbishop Oscar Romero Award of the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
, USA, for his work in defending the human rights of street children in Mexico and Central America.
External links
- "A Tribute to Bruce Harris" at the Up With People International Alumnus AssociationUp with PeopleUp with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
.