Future of Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Literary Festival thrown into doubt after accusations of poor organisation
The situation got so bad at last weekend’s event that one Myanmese writer stood up during a gala dinner for 200 guests and made an impromptu speech criticising the festival for its disorganisation
Poor organisation at the Irrawaddy Literary Festival (ILF) over the weekend resulted in some writers not being able to enter Myanmar, moderators not given enough time to read the books, and a lack of programme information.
The festival was further soured by an impromptu speech by a local writer and human rights activist who accused the festival organiser of disorganisation, throwing the future of the event into doubt.
Even before the three-day festival, held at the Mandalay Hill Resort in Mandalay, began last Friday, at least two writers had pulled out: British poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and Australian children’s writer Gus Gordon.
Rohingya crisis puts Myanmar literary festival guest writers on the spot
Duffy, who is creative director and professor of contemporary poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, has remained tight-lipped about her reason for pulling out of the festival. A source close to the poet, however, told the Post that it was the university’s decision and was based on concerns about the political situation in Myanmar following what is widely being described as “ethnic cleansing” of the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.
Coincidentally, the festival’s founder and director, Jane Heyn, and her husband Andrew, who is the British consul general to Hong Kong and Macau and also one of the ILF trustees, both went to Manchester Metropolitan University.
Canadian writer Madeleine Thien, nominated for the Man Booker Prize for her book Do Not Say We Have Nothing, was prevented from entering Myanmar because she didn’t have the correct visa – an oversight that friends close to the writer said could have been avoided if the festival had been better managed.