Gonaïves

Gonaïves is a city in the west of Haiti. It is the chief town of the department of the Artibonite. The metropolitan population is of some 100.000 people.

History

Sometimes Gonaïve is called the “city of independence” because it is there that Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared the independence of Haiti, on January 1st 1804, after the victory of its troops against those of Napoleon Bonaparte ordered by Rochambeau at the time of the Bataille of Vertières in November 1803.

More than one score of people were killed in Gonaïves in 1994 at the time of the massacre of Raboteau, during which sympathizers of Jean-Bertrand Aristide were attacked by militiamans of the FRAPH, the militia supporting the mode de facto of the general Raoul Cédras and of the military junta. One decade afterwards, Gonaïves is the scene of riots and violences caused by the opposition to the president Aristide. The February 5th 2004 a band of insurrectionists takes control of the city ( to see Politique of Haiti ).

In September 2004, the cyclone Jeanne causes vast floods which result in the death of approximately 2.000 people. The cyclone damages all the buildings of the city and returns 250 thousands of people without shelter.

Administration

Gonaïves is also the sub-prefecture of a Arrondissement of the same name. The district includes/understands three communes, which are Gonaïves, Ennery, and Estère.

Évêché

Diocese of Gonaïves
Cathedral Saint-Charles-Borromée of Gonaïves

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