The Battle of Algiers Page #23

BEN M'HIDI

Is the show already over?

MATHIEU:

(smiling)

Yes, it's over ... before it becomes

self-defeating.

The paras lead Ben M'Hidi away. He moves away with short steps, as much

as he can with the irons that are tightened around his ankles. Mathieu

has turned to the journalists and smiles again.

112PREFECT'S OFFICE. PRESS HALL. INSIDE. DAY. MARCH 4.

Colonel Mathieu is standing. On his face is a brief smile, motionless,

his eyes attentive, but half-closed somewhat, due to the camera

flashes.

1ST JOURNALIST

Colonel Mathieu ... the spokesman for the

residing minister, Mr. Gorlin, has stated

that "Larbi Ben M'Hidi committed suicide

in his own cell, hanging himself with

pieces of his shirt, that he had used to

make a rope, and then attached to the

bars of his cell window." In a preceding

statement, the same spokesman had

specified that:
"... due to the intention

already expressed by the prisoner Ben

M'Hidi to escape at the first opportunity,

it has been necessary to keep his hands

and feet bound continually." In your

opinion, colonel, in such conditions, is

a man capable of tearing his shirt,

making a rope from it, and attaching it

to a bar of the window to hang himself?

MATHIEU:

You should address that question to the

minister's spokesman. I'm not the one who

made those statements ... On my part, I

will say that I had the opportunity to

admire the moral strength, intelligence,

and unwavering idealism demonstrated by

Ben M'Hidi. For these reasons, although

remembering the danger he represented, I

do not hesitate to pay homage to his

memory.

2ND JOURNALIST

Colonel Mathieu ... Much has been said

lately not only of the successes

obtained by the paratroopers, but also of

the methods that they have employed ...

Can you tell us something about this?

MATHIEU:

The successes obtained are the results

of those methods. One presupposes the

other and vice versa.

3RD JOURNALIST

Excuse me, colonel. I have the impression

that perhaps due to excessive prudence ...

my colleagues continue to ask the same

allusive questions, to which you can only

respond in an allusive manner. I think it

would be better to call things by their

right names; if one means torture, then

one should call it torture.

MATHIEU:

I understand. What's your question?

3RD JOURNALIST

The questions have already been asked. I

would only like some precise answers,

that's all ...

MATHIEU:

Let's try to be precise then. The word

"torture" does not appear in our orders.

We have always spoken of interrogation as

the only valid method in a police

operation directed against unknown

enemies. As for the NLF, they request

that their members, in the event of

capture, should maintain silence for

twenty-four hours, and then, they may

talk. Thus, the organization has already

had the time necessary to render useless

any information furnished ... What type

of interrogation should we choose? ...

the one the courts use for a crime of

homicide which drags on for months?

3RD JOURNALIST

The law is often inconvenient, colonel ...

MATHIEU:

And those who explode bombs in public

places, do they perhaps respect the law?

When you asked that question to Ben

M'Hidi, remember what he said? No,

gentlemen, believe me, it is a vicious

circle. And we could discuss the problem

for hours without reaching any

conclusions. Because the problem does

not lie here. The problem is: the NLF

wants us to leave Algeria and we want to

remain. Now, it seems to me that, despite

varying shades of opinion, you all agree

that we must remain. When the rebellion

first began, there were not even shades

of opinion. All the newspapers, even the

left-wing ones wanted the rebellion

suppressed. And we were sent here for

this very reason. And we are neither

madmen nor sadists, gentlemen. Those who

call us fascists today, forget the

contribution that many of us made to the

Resistance. Those who call us Nazis, do

not know that among us there are

survivors of Dachau and Buchenwald. We

are soldiers and our only duty is to

win. Therefore, to be precise, I would

now like to ask you a question: Should

France remain in Algeria? If you answer

"yes," then you must accept all the

necessary consequences.

113CASBAH HOUSES. TORTURE SEQUENCE. INSIDE. DAY.

Casbah, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms.

Sharp, white light; motionless faces, figures paused midway in

gestures.

Women, children ... glassy eyes ...

Background motionless like in a landscape.

Algerians ... wild eyes ... animals being led to slaughter.

Paras, their every gesture measured exactly, perfection achieved.

An Algerian is lying down on the table, his arms and ankles bound with

belts.

An Algerian, in the form of a wheel, an iron bar in the curvature of

his knees, his ankles tied to his wrists.

Electrical wires wrenched from their outlets, a generator with crank,

extended pliers with their prongs open wide, the tops of the wires held

between two prongs, the pliers applied to a naked body, the most

sensitive parts:
lips, tongue, ears, nipples, heart, sexual organs ...

Faucets, tubing, buckets, funnels, a mouth forced open, held open, with

a wooden wedge, tubing in the mouth, rags scattered around, water, a

belly that is swelling . .. The torture is precise in every detail, and

every detail points to a technique that is taken apart and reassembled.

114UPPER CASBAH ALLEY. OUTSIDE. DAY.

The chorus of the Koran school like ceaseless wailing, like a stubborn

will to survive that seems to be spreading through the Casbah.

Petit Omar looks up instinctively, his small face hardened and

taciturn, like that of an adult, then enters the school.

115KORAN SCHOOL. INSIDE. DAY.

The children are sitting on the mats, motionless; only their lips are

moving. There is an oblique light, the teacher is in the shadow.

RELIGIOUS CHORUS.

Petit Omar approaches the teacher who shakes his head in denial. Omar

goes out.

116CASBAH STREETS. PATROLS. OUTSIDE. DAY.

The Casbah is patrolled by paratroopers; helmets, machine guns,

portable radios, police dogs ...

Paratroopers are erecting loudspeakers at every street corner.

Paratroopers with brushes and buckets of paint are marking the doors of

the Casbah with large numbers. From time to time, machine-gun fire is

heard in the distance.

Algerians are standing against the wall, their hands up. There is a

dead man a few feet away, an Algerian youth. The paratroopers turn him

over and search him. A child with terrified eyes turns around a little.

A para transmits the dead man's name into the portable radio.

117CASBAH. OTHER STREETS. OUTSIDE. DAY.

A car radio receives and transmits the same name; and then the name is

repeated by the loudspeakers scattered throughout the Casbah.

LOUDSPEAKER:

"Inhabitants of the Casbah! The rebellion

gets weaker every day. The terrorist Ben

Amin has been executed. Kasem Moussa has

been arrested. He was commander of the 2nd

Sector NLF. Inhabitants of the Casbah! The

terrorists are not your true brothers.

Leave them to their fate. Rely on the

protection of the French army. Denounce

the terrorists and agitators. Cooperate

with us to reestablish peace and

prosperity in Algeria ..."

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