"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴
𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯
𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥
𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦,
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘴."

In any fascist state across the world, those who fight for freedom—revolutionaries, anti-imperialists, and anti-colonialists—are always branded as terrorists. From the past to the present, the state never explains the root causes of armed struggle—why people take up arms against their government. Anyone opposing the state is simply regarded as a terrorist.

Tomorrow They Won't Dare to Murder Us set during the Algerian War is a novel based on the true story of Fernand Iveton, a French factory worker and pied-noir (though he considered himself Algerian), who joined the National Liberation Front (FLN, Front de Libération Nationale) in an effort to fight for Algeria’s independence from French colonial rule. Under French rule, Algerians experienced severe discrimination and oppression. French settlers had access to land, education, and employment, while indigenous Muslim Algerians were treated as second-class citizens.

Iveton planted a bomb in his factory, intended to cause damage but not harm anyone. Arrested before it detonated, he endured intense physical torture under the authorities—water cure, beatings, and electrocution to his genitals—as well as psychological torment. In the end, despite the absence of casualties from his action, he was sentenced to death by guillotine for his involvement in the anti-colonial struggle. Through Iveton’s story, Andras exposed the cruelty of the French colonial system and the sacrifices of those who fought for independence.

The novel goes beyond war; it explores courage, justice, and the importance of standing up for one’s convictions. It also highlights the love story between Iveton and his wife, Hélène, emphasizing his humanity. Andras shows that Iveton was not just a revolutionary but a man capable of love, enduring pain, and fighting for others—especially the Algerian people.

Iveton’s story also evokes parallels with other revolutions. Vietnam fought for liberation against French and American imperialism. The Viet Minh and later the Viet Cong, like the FLN in Algeria, faced brutal repression and were labeled as terrorists by colonial and imperialist powers. Similarly, Cuba’s revolutionaries—Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and others—were demonized for overthrowing the Batista dictatorship. In all these struggles, the oppressors ignored the injustices that drove people to take up arms, focusing solely on branding their resistance as terrorism.

I couldn’t help but compare Iveton’s story to that of Macario Sakay in our own history. Branded a bandit and executed by American colonizers and their Filipino collaborators, Sakay’s story proves that colonialists and imperialists share the same face.

This is an unforgettable story of resistance and a poignant reminder of the struggles behind the fight for freedom. The novel is short and uses straightforward, poetic language that conveys its emotional weight effectively. Even though Andras did not use quotation marks in the dialogues, his style effectively conveyed the storytelling.

At the end of the story, I felt an urge to shout, “Tahia Ath-Thawra!" (Long live the revolution!)