Rachid Maboudi
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1.04pm – November 4, 2024
Kamel Daoud, Franco-Algerian writer, won the Prix Goncourt on Monday, November 4 for his novel Hourisa powerful and gripping fiction that delves into 1990s Algeria, in the midst of its civil war, a period known as the “black decade” (1992-2002). The novel, published by Gallimard, features characters trying to survive in a country plagued by the extreme violence of clashes between state forces and Islamist groups. Implicitly, Houris questions the traumas of a society marked by repression, ideological manipulation, and taboos surrounding this controversial period, which Algerian law prohibits from discussing publicly.
Gallimard revealed that Algerian authorities had banned the publishing house from participating in the upcoming Algiers Book Fair, scheduled for November 6-16, probably due to the content of the novel. “We were forbidden to come, without being given a reason”explained a Gallimard spokesperson, specifying that this exclusion extends to all the publishing houses of the Madrigall group, as a sign of solidarity. Although the Algerian authorities have not provided any official explanation, this censorship demonstrates the sensitivity of the subject and the repression exercised against those who dare to highlight the violence and abuses of this period.
Through evocative and often disturbing prose, Houris also explores the identity tensions, moral dilemmas and internal struggles of Algerians torn between traditions and modernity. Kamel Daoud, by depicting individuals seeking freedom in a climate of oppression, illustrates the complexity of the choices imposed by an authoritarian regime and the realities of war which, despite the years, continue to haunt collective memories.
Despite this banishment, the novel is already circulating underground in Algeria. “My book is read in Algeria because it is pirated”confided Mr. Daoud in September, specifying that it provokes debate even among those who have not read it. This clandestine dissemination testifies to the interest and thirst for historical truths within a population still marked by these events.
The National Publishing Union (SNE) in France expressed its support for Gallimard, stressing the importance of the free circulation of literary works and ideas between France and Algeria, despite obstacles. This Goncourt is thus a resounding recognition for Kamel Daoud, but also a reminder of the ever-present challenges of freedom of expression for writers dealing with sensitive subjects in Algeria.
