The heist of “La Citadelle”

As we know, the island of Haiti is occupied by two countries, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They are totally different from one another socially, historically and culturally and because of these differences some kind of rivalry had been built over the years. Even tough this rivalry exist some kind of line must not be crossed.

It was a Friday morning when we decided to go to Cabarete. I was studying in la PUCMM (Pontifica Universidad Madre y maestra) in Santiago de los Caballeros. I was in my second semester there. So we took the road, my two housemates and I hoping to have a great week end on the beach getting a tan and meeting some girls. When we got there a few hours later we met with Robert, a Mexican American that was studying in the Dominican Republic for a couple years. He told us that there was a change of plans and that we were going to Barahona, near the Haitian border. We said ok and headed there. We got there an hour after and we went to a little local bar to grab a beer and plan our schedule. While we were talking, a bus full of tourist stopped by for them to by some refreshments and some food for the rest of their trip. One of them, an American named Stanley came to us and asks us some question. He told us how this country was beautiful and how rich and divers the culture is. He also told us that he has visited one of the greatest monuments he saw in his life. When we asked him witch one was it, he told us: la citadelle.

We were so shocked that we couldn’t answer him. My friend Mike, surprised, made sure to ask him again: which monuments did u see? And he answered: La citadelle. There it was, one of the biggest humiliations ever. La citadelle, witch is in cap Haitian, located in the north side of the country and second biggest city after Port-au-Prince (politically and economically speaking). Constructed by the king Henry Christophe in 1808, La citadelle La Ferriere was a Fort that was suppose to defend the new nation, at that time, against France. It is one of are greatest and precious historical monument and he Dominicans are telling people from other countries that it’s their’s. Because the north part of the frontier is really week in the Haitian side, they pass by Baraona, that is the town right next to the border, on the north side of the DR, and find their way to Cap Haitian telling the tourist they are still in the Dominican Republic. When they arrive there they make them visit La citadelle.

In a way it is our fault or worst it is totally our fault, us Haitian. Our system is so week that it can’t defend a monument as symbolic as la citadelle. I’m sure that some of us know and don’t say anything about it because this sense of patriotism is dead within us. We have forgotten about Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Alexandre Petion and Henri Christophe. What would they say if they were there? We need to ask our self this question. We need to remember what they fought for witch brings back the very existence of this fort. This is a violation of our country, of are forefathers and of are pride.