Photo courtesy: PEN American Center|Flickr
Lanka Business Online
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"We are looking forward to welcoming writers and festival goers, to engage in debate, conversation and to raise important issues which reflect a post conflict Sri Lanka," festival founder Geoffrey Dobbs said in a statement.
"[T]he Festival is one of the few forums in the country which actively promote lively and spirited discussions, we want to continue with this tradition and we will always welcome any writers and journalists to use the festival as a platform to air these issues."
Paris-base Reporters without Borders and a group representing exiled journalists called on writers to boycott the festival citing repression of media and killings of mediamen which remain unsolved.
Orhan Pamuk and Kiran Desai said they were not attending the festival.
"Nobody could be sadder than me. I love Sri Lanka and had a super time the last time I was in Galle," the organizers quoted Desai as saying.
Pamuk's pullout has been blamed on India visa re-entry rules, a charge strongly denied by Indian authorities.
"I am very sorry for and frustrated about this decision…I looked forward to seeing the beauties of Sri Lanka very much," he was quoted as saying.
Indian authorities were quoted on the Hindu newspaper as saying that officials in Turkey and Sri Lanka had assured Pamuk of special waiver of regulations to facilitate his travel and re-entry to India.
Festival organizers said that the Indian missions in Colombo and Turkey had "gone beyond their call of duty" to re-assure Pamuk.
Organizers said Louis de Bernieres has "rescheduled his visit to coincide with the main Festival." The event has an updated schedule at www.galleliteraryfestival.com.
© LBO
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