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Critique de Ciella
First review of 2022 ! And what a great book to start 2022 with !
I discovered Guantánamo Diary after having watched The Mauritanian at the movie theater. The story and Tahar Rahim's acting made me experience too many conflicting emotions at the same time. I, then, bought the book to know more about Mohamedou Ould Slahi's story.
Since the first chapters of the book, no since the introduction, I couldn't help my tears from falling. The magical pen of MOS narrating his story can't leave you unmoved. The injustice which MOS suffered can't leave you unmoved. The unbearable torture can't leave you unmoved, and unbearable is really a weak word to describe what he went through. Imagine an innocent man sleep deprived for weeks, subjected to water diet 24h/7d, frigid temperatures, sexual humiliations, mock abduction, and a variety of other physical and psychological ways of torture. Just imagine it ! Did you ? Did this help you understand what he went through ? You're tempted to reply yes but.. no. You can't. You can imagine all kind of horror scenarios, yet you will not understand what it really feels to be him.. I quote MOS : « You, dear reader, could never understand the extent of the physical, and much more the psychological pain people in my situation suffered, no matter how hard you try to put yourself in another's shoes. »
This man was interrogated a million times by different intelligence agencies from more than six countries over and over again, detained in Senegal, Mauritania, Jordan, Afghanistan, GTMO. His family didn't even know that he wasn't in Mauritania when he was transfered to Jordan then to GTMO ! He was unjustly arrested without being given the reasons of his arrest. There were no evidences linking him to the millennium plot. The USA refused to release him and insisted to see him as a big fish because 1- he has been to many different countries (ow this is really suspicious, were you there to plan/execute a terrorist attack ? 🤔) 2- he was an electrical engineer (so he was obviously a bomb maker 😏) 3- he joined al Qaeda in 1991, _and let's precise that al Qaeda was an ally of the US at that time_ to fight against the communist government in Afghanistan (after this, he was done with al Qaeda) 4- he was attending the same mosque as other suspects (because we all know that when we bump into someone, we necessarily know him and cling to his point of view 🤷♀️) 5- he provided lodging for one night for some men (next time, think twice before trying to help someone) 6- he was Abu Hafs's cousin (and of course we define ourselves by a distant cousin 🤣) 7- most important point, he was/is a Muslim ! (no comment needed for this one 😉)
MOS will still held even after being cleared in 2010. He'll be detained for 14 years in GTMO, and he‘ll finally be released in 2016 ! America, what a democratic country and what a guarantor of freedom and human rights! Also a shout-out to Mauritania (and all the countries alike) that had delivered its own citizen to another country to be treated with the dignity and respect he deserves (I'm being ironic guys, in case).
I was really amazed by the faith that MOS carried in his heart. Even when he was about to lose his mind, he kept the consistency in his relationship with God, he kept praying and reciting Koran. And when he couldn't because of the guards forbidding him from it or his physical pain, he prayed.. in his heart. How beautiful is this ! 🙂
I was also touched by his humanity, his sense of humor and his ability to master a new language in such horrible circumstances, yet write such an extraordinary book !
Sir, I learned a lot from you. And I wish you all the best in your life. You fully deserve it ! Allah will surely do you justice. And may He reward you abundantly for your faith, sabr and kindness.
With all my love and respect,
I discovered Guantánamo Diary after having watched The Mauritanian at the movie theater. The story and Tahar Rahim's acting made me experience too many conflicting emotions at the same time. I, then, bought the book to know more about Mohamedou Ould Slahi's story.
Since the first chapters of the book, no since the introduction, I couldn't help my tears from falling. The magical pen of MOS narrating his story can't leave you unmoved. The injustice which MOS suffered can't leave you unmoved. The unbearable torture can't leave you unmoved, and unbearable is really a weak word to describe what he went through. Imagine an innocent man sleep deprived for weeks, subjected to water diet 24h/7d, frigid temperatures, sexual humiliations, mock abduction, and a variety of other physical and psychological ways of torture. Just imagine it ! Did you ? Did this help you understand what he went through ? You're tempted to reply yes but.. no. You can't. You can imagine all kind of horror scenarios, yet you will not understand what it really feels to be him.. I quote MOS : « You, dear reader, could never understand the extent of the physical, and much more the psychological pain people in my situation suffered, no matter how hard you try to put yourself in another's shoes. »
This man was interrogated a million times by different intelligence agencies from more than six countries over and over again, detained in Senegal, Mauritania, Jordan, Afghanistan, GTMO. His family didn't even know that he wasn't in Mauritania when he was transfered to Jordan then to GTMO ! He was unjustly arrested without being given the reasons of his arrest. There were no evidences linking him to the millennium plot. The USA refused to release him and insisted to see him as a big fish because 1- he has been to many different countries (ow this is really suspicious, were you there to plan/execute a terrorist attack ? 🤔) 2- he was an electrical engineer (so he was obviously a bomb maker 😏) 3- he joined al Qaeda in 1991, _and let's precise that al Qaeda was an ally of the US at that time_ to fight against the communist government in Afghanistan (after this, he was done with al Qaeda) 4- he was attending the same mosque as other suspects (because we all know that when we bump into someone, we necessarily know him and cling to his point of view 🤷♀️) 5- he provided lodging for one night for some men (next time, think twice before trying to help someone) 6- he was Abu Hafs's cousin (and of course we define ourselves by a distant cousin 🤣) 7- most important point, he was/is a Muslim ! (no comment needed for this one 😉)
MOS will still held even after being cleared in 2010. He'll be detained for 14 years in GTMO, and he‘ll finally be released in 2016 ! America, what a democratic country and what a guarantor of freedom and human rights! Also a shout-out to Mauritania (and all the countries alike) that had delivered its own citizen to another country to be treated with the dignity and respect he deserves (I'm being ironic guys, in case).
I was really amazed by the faith that MOS carried in his heart. Even when he was about to lose his mind, he kept the consistency in his relationship with God, he kept praying and reciting Koran. And when he couldn't because of the guards forbidding him from it or his physical pain, he prayed.. in his heart. How beautiful is this ! 🙂
I was also touched by his humanity, his sense of humor and his ability to master a new language in such horrible circumstances, yet write such an extraordinary book !
Sir, I learned a lot from you. And I wish you all the best in your life. You fully deserve it ! Allah will surely do you justice. And may He reward you abundantly for your faith, sabr and kindness.
With all my love and respect,
