Meet the man whose story inspired the Golden Globe winner movie "The Mauritanian" with 5 BAFTA nominations.
"When you realize how short life is, then you focus on what's important in life. And that's your happiness".
"In Arabic, the word for free and the word for forgiveness is the same word".
"I realized that my strength is knowing that my abilities are very limited. This was very liberating".
His story inspired 2 movies winning some of the most prestigious film awards in the world.
In 2001, Mohamedou Ould Slahi was taken from his home in Mauritania and eventually held at Guantánamo Bay for 14 years without charge. Regarded as the most tortured prisoner in the history of Guantanamo, Slahi wrote a best-selling memoir in 2015 called "Guantanamo Diary", which detailed his life in the prison.
Based on his book the Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald tells the story of Slahi in the new Hollywood film "The Mauritanian" starring Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Based on his book the Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald tells the story of Slahi in the new Hollywood film "The Mauritanian" starring Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch.
The Mauritanian has been nominated for five Baftas and two Golden Globes. The movie won Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for Jodie Foster's performance.
BAFTA nomination won also the Guardian Documentary "My Brother’s Keeper" which tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Slahi and his American guard Steve Wood during his incarceration.
I had the chance to talk to Mohamedou Ould Slahi about the power of forgiveness and friendship, the life lessons, what he learned about himself and the human nature, what gave him strength not to give up.
I learned that humans, regardless of their backgrounds, are as capable of being good as they are of being evil, or anything in between.
And what did you learn about yourself?
The world can do without me. When I was disappeared in that dark place, it dawned on me that the world would keep going without me. I realized that my abilities are very limited. And ironically, that is my strength, that I know I am only this strong, but not more than that.
This was also very liberating in that I started to care more about my needs as opposed to caring about manipulating people’s perception about me. I worried too much about people's perception about me.
The world can do without me. When I was disappeared in that dark place, it dawned on me that the world would keep going without me. I realized that my abilities are very limited. And ironically, that is my strength, that I know I am only this strong, but not more than that.
This was also very liberating in that I started to care more about my needs as opposed to caring about manipulating people’s perception about me. I worried too much about people's perception about me.
The famous author Victor Frankl claims in his book „Man's Search for Meaning“ that: „Those who have a „why” to live, can bear with almost any „how”. What was your „why” not to give up?
“Why” is very important, I do agree. But I’d like to say that those who have big and forgiving hearts can bear with almost any “how”.
So is the forgiveness that helped you not to give up?
It certainly contributed greatly because hate would have weakened and eaten my body and soul.
It certainly contributed greatly because hate would have weakened and eaten my body and soul.
The most striking and inspiring aspect in your story is that after all horrific things you experienced, you look like you aren’t angry. You also developed a very unusual friendship with your guard. So in this sense what is easier – to love or to hate? How long is the road between love and hate?
Hate can be very self-destructive, but love can be painful, too, in a different kind of way. When we love we make ourselves vulnerable and unguarded. And yet I’d opt for love any day. In the end, I don’t believe that we only either love or hate. It can be a mixture.
So how this relates to your unusual friendship with your guard? How did you find strength to open up to him and become friends?
It was a mutual effort between him and me. We both were weary of each other but we slowly and gradually trusted each other enough to share our lives.
It was a mutual effort between him and me. We both were weary of each other but we slowly and gradually trusted each other enough to share our lives.
Do good things come to those who can wait?
Not always. Some detainees died waiting for the next dose of torture. However, being made to wait can teach patience, too. Patience is the medication that has no replacement.
Not always. Some detainees died waiting for the next dose of torture. However, being made to wait can teach patience, too. Patience is the medication that has no replacement.
What are the most important life lessons you've learned till now?
Be nice to people. That is the only thing that will matter when I’m about to leave this world.
Be nice to people. That is the only thing that will matter when I’m about to leave this world.
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| Slahi's second book |
What role does writing play in your life?
Writing is my personal spokesperson, and the friend in whom I can confide.
You’re working on a third book which aims to prove that we can all find happiness under any circumstance. Why do you want to tell this story? Why it is important for you?
Actually, the idea of “portable happiness” came to me in prison and I started scribbling a version of it there. My first draft was confiscated and never given back. I intend to rewrite it.
The basic idea is that happiness is a decision to be made regardless of circumstances. I want people to be happy because happiness in contagious.
The basic idea is that happiness is a decision to be made regardless of circumstances. I want people to be happy because happiness in contagious.
I was sitting in the interrogation room and I was shackled to the floor. the gurads and interrogators around me were joking and casually conversing but I was shaking in fear for what may come to me that day. It dawned on me that we all (me and my captors) are in the same place and time but I chose to be afraid and unhappy and they didn't.
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