Interview: “I am for Louisa Hanoune to be president,” says Tahar Ouettar

Algerian novelist Tahar Ouettar who has been treated by chemiotherapy in Paris is still attached to his ideological and political convictions. He said he was in a race with life but he could not deny the support of his friends living in France.

• In Paris, presidential candidate Louisa Hanoune paid a visit to you. How did you feel?
• Louisa Hanoune did not come to Paris for Taher Wattar. Her visit was part of her electoral campaign. She visited me and brought to me Algerian oranges in addition to Saleh Saleh, member of the political bureau of the Palestinian Popular Front. Thanks God, I am sure now of my reputation.
• Although your treatment was at the expense of President Bouteflika, you are loyal to the Workers’ Party. Is it a case of the voter’s conscience or the political militant’s?
• I am always under the control of my principles. I am not mean to be ungrateful to President Bouteflika. Because of that, I can not oppose him. As for the other candidates, my principles are clear. I am with hard-working people. Louisa Hanoune’s party embodies ideological ideas in support of the middle-class.
• In the previous mandate, I clearly said I had voted for Louisa Hanoune. I know that she will not win but it has something to do with principles. I will always say I support Louisa Hanoune. As for whom I will vote, it is personal and a question of convictions.
• I am very thankful for the president for caring about me like he does for ministers and diplomats. I appreciate that and I can not be ungrateful.
• Although you are tired, you insist in visiting your brother in Annaba (east of Algeria) who was paralysed after he had come back from Paris?
• He is my elder brother. He was a war veteran and had then many responsibilities. When he visited me in Paris, he was in excellent health conditions. In his return, he had a heart attack and was paralyzed. Although I was tired and ill, I had to see him.
• We have been told that you are planning to write a Sufi novel about your disease. Are there any details?
• When someone is isolated, many plans come to his mind. I could have started writing but I was afraid of being tired. The idea has something to do with Sufism from a non-metaphysical vision. However, it is not a novel but it’s a long text.