AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) — Jordan has banned Saddam Hussein’s new novel on the grounds the tale of an Arab tribesman who defeats a foreign intruder could hurt relations between the two countries, censors and the publisher said on Sunday.
"Get out of here, curse you!," believed to have been penned by the ousted Iraqi leader before the U.S.-led war, was set to be released in Jordan and other Arab countries on Thursday by a Jordanian company with the permission of Saddam’s family.
"Publishing this novel will harm the Iraqi-Jordanian relationship and we are keen to have the best relations with Iraq. Jordan will not approve its publication. If they want to publish it they have to do it abroad," Ahmad al-Qudah, head of the government’s Press and Publication Department, told Reuters.
Source: [CNN]
I understand why Jordanian authorities want to ban this novel, especially after the scandal of Raed al Banna. But I’m one of those that believes banning should be banned. I’m sure this novel will be nothing more than a sensationalist mediocre piece of writing. Banning it will only bring more attention to it. Really! This is not a wise move on part of the Jordanian censorship department!
Linda,
Is this good or bad:-)
“banning should be banned” hmmm how postmodern of you natasha 🙂
agree,
but i don’t think the government is stupid, and i’m sure they know that almost any Jordanian can get this novel (at least if i know that, they should!), but it’s not all about literature, there’s politics involved, and you never know if this novel was allowed it would have made some “important” people angry, maybe those are people we can’t mess up with. IT’s all about politics, not literature.