YANGON – The latest first for fast-reforming Myanmar — its first international literary festival — is putting the spotlight on dozens of the country’s authors, a number of whom once spent time in prison for their writings.
The Irrawaddy Literary Festival, which ended Sunday, came as Myanmar relaxes its censorship rules, bringing new freedom of expression to the country’s authors, journalists, bloggers and comedians.
More than 100 authors from around the world were to attend, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent the better part of two decades under house arrest before being elected to Parliament last year.
“We still take some care,” said Pe Myint, who has written 42 books and numerous short stories.
However, he added, for the last two years he has been able to publicly criticize the government, a once unimaginable right.
Myanmar shut its censorship office in August and just over a week ago officially rebranded the Press Scrutiny board, which was responsible for censoring publications, as the Copyrights and Registration Division.
Authors must still submit their books to the government, but it can no longer block their distribution. Some of the old laws used to jail dissident writers remain on the books, but local authors say that for the most part, censors have put down their red pens and they can publish quite freely.
“Wild Swans” author Jung Chang, India’s Vikram Seth, British historian Timothy Garton-Ash and New Delhi-based writer William Dalrymple — a force behind India’s hugely successful Jaipur literary festival — were scheduled to attend the festival, along with about 80 authors from Myanmar.
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