What police, and which choice? These two novels give a truthful account of real social and identity mutations that drove the emergence of fundamentalism, then terrorism in my country. They are used as references in universities today.
7) Why do you write about terrorism?
For two reasons. Initially because it is a planetary danger, that I know of from the inside and that I can describe with clearness and intelligence. Also, because Westerners understand nothing, and never say anything important on the subject. My books consist of explanations to clarify the consciences and alleviate the spirits traumatized by the political handling of media misinformation.
That being said, I make a point of recalling that my novels are not testimony. They concern fiction and assert their literary values. I am sorry to see people throw themselves on the topic and neglect the manner of treating this topic. I basically make literary work. I have a language, a style.
8) In your early books you talk about the corruption in Algeria and had characters say that the terrorists were being used to allow certain interests to seize power. Is the situation in Algeria still as bad as it was, or have there been improvements since the time of writing those books?
Nothing has changed in my country, when it comes to this topic. The corruption prevails more and more; predation and opportunism has become the favourite sport of the nation. Most of our elite was forced into exile, and the people are without guidance, delivered to the robbers and to the charlatans, and have come to believe things will always be the same.
9) In your more recent books, Attack and Swallows of Kabul, you've started writing about life outside Algeria. Why?
Why not? The real question is to know if I succeeded or not. I think that I am well positioned to speak about what occurs on our planet. My double culture makes me believe that I am capable of doing this. It is grand time, for you, to hear the bell ring somewhere else.
10) Reading your books I could tell that you really loved Algeria. It must be hard to be in exile. Do you want to go back to Algeria? What would have to change there for you to want to return?
I like my country very much. I try to support it with my modest means, to give courage and confidence again to the young Algerian who reads me. But I am not exiled - I am an emigrant. I am living in France to work, and not to take refuge. I return in my country when I want, and nobody, neither the President nor the emirs, can prohibit me to go back there. Algeria is my country, and I do not have any other. I do not want to have any other.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
Fascinating Richard, and must have been a huge amount of work - thanks!
2 - Nasra
Thank you for this interview... Its helpful for us to know more about Arab writers who writes in other languges... it give us hope that we can also stand and present our art
3 - Barbara
I've just read The Swallows of Kabul - an exceptional book. Although I was a bit put off by Si Mohamed's dismissive generalisation about the West's ignorance, he is right that the book is not at all about terrorism. It is the truest-sounding description of the tragedy of sexist extremism for the Muslim male mind (he is not so good with the female mind, but that's fine, we have that from enough others) that I have ever read. The other Muslim male authors I know - Mahfouz and Ben Jelloun - have never dared explore this, AFAIK.
4 - Richard Marcus
The question your refer to where M. Khadra makes his comments about the Western mind came about because of misunderstanding caused by my translation of the question into French from English.
So please don't judge his opinions on the West by his answer to that question.
Richard Marcus