Would you volonteer to spend one month in a prison? This just what the Belgian journalist Jan de Cock did. He had written a book about prisons on several continents. This book carried the title Hotel Prison. Now he decided to take a different angle to prison life, not to write from the perspective from … Continue reading review DE KELDERS VAN CONGO
Review OPERATIE LAAT NIETS IN LEVEN
Two Dutch journalists, Arnold Karskens and Henk Willem Smits, focus in this book on the Dutch businessman Guus Kouwenhoven (or mr. Gus). What is so special about this man that two journalist have followed this man over a period of many years, have delved into archives, have talked with the man himself and many others? … Continue reading Review OPERATIE LAAT NIETS IN LEVEN
Review of THE TRIAL OF HISSÈNE HABRÉ
A landlocked country (even the shores of the lake are receding) in the midst of the enormous African continent. This country carries the same name as the lake: Chad. From 1982 – 1990 Hissène Habré ruled this country. He was no stranger to power for during previous reigns he had been Prime Minister and Secretary … Continue reading Review of THE TRIAL OF HISSÈNE HABRÉ
Revisiting the Habré trial: Finding hope in a Chadian tragedy
Many dictators of the past managed to leave the country they run and ruined and found asylum in an other country. In this new found land they continued to live with a fair portion of their amassed wealth, leaving their former citizens in poverty and structures of injustice. Not all have the chance to escape … Continue reading Revisiting the Habré trial: Finding hope in a Chadian tragedy
New light on anti-apartheid activists’ deaths
The past is not over. It has not passed away. It is still present in many ways. The Dutch investigative journalist Evelyn Groenink, who lived for many years in South Africa, has written a book on the death of three anti-apartheid activists. The names are Dulcie September, Anton Lubowski and Chris Hani. The content of … Continue reading New light on anti-apartheid activists’ deaths
South African police summon author of book critical of Zuma
The story unfolds and unfolds. The writer and journalist and cook Jacques Pauw wrote a book on the life of the people who are supporting president Jacob Zuma, president of the Republic of South Africa. South African politics and police are writing new chapters to this book. Unpublished chapters, but public ones. It seems that … Continue reading South African police summon author of book critical of Zuma
books touched by Africa 