Non à Vauban à l'Unesco, cet homme de guerre ne doit pas être reconnu comme un humaniste le 6 juillet 2008 au sommet du Patrimoine mondial à Québec. Il a construit des forteresses pour mieux soumettre les peuples nouvellement conquis par les armes en soutenant des politiques linguicides dont nous subissons aujourd'hui encore les effets néfastes.

Joan Jaume Prost

Federació Perpinyà 03 / 07 / 2008
23, avinguda del Liceu
66000 Perpinyà
France
www.federacio.cat

Shortly, Unesco will have to decide whether or not to add the fortifications and military legacy of Vauban to the list of world heritage sites.

In North Catalonia, a collective “No to Vauban in UNESCO”, has been created, which denounces the addition of the fortifications of Mont Louis and Vilafranca de Conflent to the list of the 14 proposed sites.

Vauban was a military engineer, general lieutenant of the army of the absolutist King Louis XIV as well as General Comissar of an army that destroyed numerous European countries with the sole objective of conquering them. It is unacceptable that Vauban, who was responsible for this defensive and repressive system and constructor of 151 fortresses, should be presented as a humanist.

Vilafranca was not erected by Vauban. Rather, Vauban demolished the magnificent Franciscan convent (built in the 13th and 14th centuries), in order to reinforce the existing fortifications. To construct Mont Louis and the fortifications, Vauban wiped the 10th century city and castle of Ovança off the map. From then on, the French army was a constant presence there, the citadel maintained its military vocation. Each year 3000 soldiers were trained in extreme combat.
The addition of Vauban’s work to the world heritage of humanity would allow the French state authorities to promote the army as an essential aspect of citizenship. It will also allow the justification of the wars of conquest as comparable to a humanitarian mission to make sacred the state borders and, in return, to negate Catalonia’s own history.
To want to give credit to the thesis that colonisation has positive aspects by elevating Vauban to the status of a genius, as well as that of a humanist, is unacceptable.

A man of war can never be recognised by an institution that defends peace, diversity, culture and linguistic vitality. Military fortifications built for such terrible destructive purposes can never be declared Heritage of Mankind. A feudal and authoritarian system can never merit the recognition of democratic international institutions. All of the works recognised as World Heritage of Mankind never deserve the indignation of being put on the same level of the works and memory of the Marques Vauban.
Sincerely,

Joan Jaume PROST
Pel Comitè director de la Federació

More information : www.federacio.cat/vauban/vauban-eng01.cfm