After the joy and laughter, the controversy. Camel Daoudwinner of the Goncourt Prize for his latest novel Houris (Gallimard) is now accused by a 31-year-old woman, survivor of an Islamist massacre during the Algerian civil war, of having exploited his story. She would have told the length and breadth of her life to the wife of the writer, a psychiatrist, before he took ownership of the story. Classic accusations in the literary world. Edward Louis or Yann Moix to name but a few, were also accused of having exploited the story of relatives. But this time, the accusations take a much more political turn.
The accuser, Saâda Arbaneappeared Friday, November 15 on the Algerian channel One TV. Five days later, the lawyer Fatima Benbraham announced that it had filed in August, a few days after the publication of Houristwo complaints in Oran, against Kamel Daoud and his wife on behalf of Saâda Arbane and the National Organization of Victims of Terrorism. In particular for violation of medical confidentiality and “defamation of victims of terrorism and violation of the law on national reconciliation”. A reference to article 46 of the charter on Algerian reconciliation, which provides for prison sentences for anyone who “exploits the wounds of the national tragedy, to undermine the institutions of the democratic and popular Algerian Republic, to weaken the State , harm the honor of its agents who have served it worthily, or tarnish the image of Algeria internationally.” An article widely criticized by Kamel Daoud in his work.
Wounds of the national tragedy
Houris tells the story of Aube, who became mute at the age of 5 after having her vocal cords lacerated following an attempted throat slitting, “in the name of God”, during the Algerian Civil War. It was the “black decade” (1992-2002) during which various Islamist groups opposed the national army – the toll fluctuated between 60,000 and 200,000 dead and thousands missing. Aube returns to the scene of the crime, in the north of the country, where her sister was raped and then murdered.
Disturbing detail, Saâda Arbane appeared on television with a medical device around her neck to allow her to speak as best as she can. Exactly as Aube tells it in Houris. The complainant also explained that she recognized details in the book that only her psychiatrist was able to know.
The affair comes at a good time for the Algerian government, a regular target of Kamel Daoud's criticism, notably accusing the Algiers regime of living on a “memorial income”. Worse, Houris recounts a national taboo, since it is therefore legally forbidden to talk about the Civil War in Algeria. Prison sentence for anyone who dares to use or exploit “the wounds of the national tragedy”.
“Violent defamatory campaigns”
For supporters of the writer, including Etienne Gernelledirector of the weekly The Point in which Kamel Daoud writes every week, we should therefore see this offensive as a “vile campaign”, led by the Algerian power. Without taking any precautions: the appearance of lawyer Fatima Benbraham, a fervent supporter of the regime, would be the ultimate proof. Moreover, Kamel Daoud's book is nowhere to be found in Algeria. The author was also not allowed to participate in the Algiers International Book Fair.
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