Algiers – A sharp intellectual and political debate has erupted following critical comments made by Olivier Fanon, son of the renowned revolutionary thinker Frantz Fanon, directed at Franco-Algerian writer and journalist Kamel Daoud. The exchange centers around an article penned by Daoud examining Frantz Fanon’s life and legacy, published around the centenary of Fanon’s birth.
Olivier Fanon, in a lengthy statement, expressed his strong disapproval of what he perceives as Daoud’s continued “self-purification through targeting Fanon’s biography and stances.” He accused Daoud of presenting a “flawed and selective reading of history.” Specifically, Fanon’s son takes issue with Daoud revisiting long-settled questions surrounding his father’s commitment to the Algerian Revolution, his definitive break with French colonialism, and his choice to be buried on liberated Algerian soil.
According to Olivier Fanon, these matters are “historically resolved.” He asserts that his father’s involvement in the Algerian Revolution stemmed from deep-seated intellectual and political convictions. Furthermore, he emphasizes that his father’s burial in Algeria was not a mere whim but a strict adherence to his final wish, solidifying his identity as a freedom fighter who firmly believed in the justice of the Algerian cause.
Olivier Fanon also clarified the historical significance of the name “Omar Ibrahim Fanon,” explaining that it was the nom de guerre adopted by his father during his involvement in the revolution. This name, he noted, was officially recorded at the time of his father’s death at Bethesda Hospital in the United States.
Accusing Daoud of a “deliberate disregard for geographical and historical facts,” Olivier Fanon reminded readers that Aïn Kerma, the location where his father is buried, is situated in Algeria. He further emphasized that the cemetery holding his father’s remains is not an ordinary burial ground but a cemetery for mujahideen – those who paid the ultimate price for the liberation of the country.
