HSBC GLF-2012:

Forgiveness, reconciliation and responsibility in literature

Perhaps, one of the intriguing sessions of the recently concluded HSBC Galle Literary Festival of 2012 was the session under the above title which was a fine amalgam of literature, politics, polemics, and responsibility in literature.

The session features Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelashi, German author Ingo Schulze and Dr. Stewart Motha who was also the moderator of the session. What was most striking was the fact that the pivotal role that literature plays in coming to terms with the past primarily from three perspectives represented by three panelists at the session.

Humane perspective

In terms of literature and arts, the perspective which is more relevant to the people at large is the one from the lives of the masses who have been involuntarily caught up in the whirlwinds of socio-economic changes that was brought about by evolving scenario; such as an armed conflict, end of war, or ongoing issues such as in Palestine and Israel or the fall of Berlin wall.

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelashi related his personal experiences living in Gaza. The doctor from Gaza stated, “The subject of forgiveness, reconciliation and responsibility in my life as a Palestinian and as a Palestinian refugee, my life itself was a real war. But I learnt as a child …as grandma said life is what we naked; always has been and always will be my suffering as a Palestinian and this suffering is still and this war is endemic with conflict; it’s my mate. It’s people like us who did it. I look at it when we come to responsibility I would never accept it. I have to challenge this suffering and I would never accept this misery of life and to see what can I do and to succeed and to move forward. I dreamed as a child and that’s one of the things that I can say to you to dream. Dreams are close to reality. As a child I dreamed to be a medical doctor. For the Palestinian refugees as millions in this world, it’s impossible. With goodwill and determination, I achieved all of my dreams. But life is complicated. The most difficult time in my life is the loss of beloved ones. ..Three beloved daughters and niece were killed for nothing. There was no reason to be killed. ”

Doctor from Gaza

Dr.Izzeldin’s account was an important facet of war or conflict at personal level as it inflicts horrendous memories in the minds of those who have been exposed to conflict. What Dr.Izzeldin has done, was to distill those personal memoirs in literature and in the form of creative writing. In such cases, literature has been applied as means to bring about catharsis effect on the readers not as an authentic account of history as being recorded in history books but as personal account of those who have been exposed to conflict and its allied violence.

What is clear from the three dominant perspectives at the session was that politics is part and parcel of literature and that fiction can be used effectively to discuss some of the contentious issues which would never have been discussed in reality at a particular time and in specific contexts. It is also noteworthy that effects of the specific socio-economic transformation such as the fall of Berlin wall at micro and macro levels can best be portrayed through the life stories of those who have been profoundly affected by it (those who lived in the East Germany) rather than through authorised versions of history.

Ingo Schulze

Contemporary German author Ingo Schulze about the transition observes, “I come from East Germany and I never came into the West before 1989 and for me the life inside the wall was the happiest days…may be twenty years later, I had the feeling that I came from the world which consists only in words and then coming into a world which consists only in numbers. Before everything was based on ideology (fall of the Berlin Wall) and after that everything was based on numbers; how to sell and buy. It took me ten years to find out that the West is based on growth… when I try to describe the changes in 1989-90s, it’s not coming from dictatorship and going to freedom but …for me it’s a changing of dependencies.”

The important point that both Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu and Dr. Stewart Motha emphasied on in their briefs was that the process of reconciliation and in literary terms healing of wounded minds, would take a considerable period of time. For a writer, what should matter is how and in which manner those who hard hit by changes would come to terms with the reality and how they rise up to the challenges of life as the inspiring saga of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelashi against the odds. Although such inspiring personal accounts may not be universally applicable formula, they certainly constitute unshakable human faith in the triumph of good over the evils and hope for better life.