Why words are more powerful than fences and prisons
The Kurdish-Iranian journalist, Behrouz Boochani, composed his book, No Friend But the Mountains (Picador),
one text message at a time from within his detention centre for asylum seekers.
Earlier this year, he won Australia’s Victorian Prize for literature and
delivered his acceptance speech via video from Manus Island, where he has been
held for the past six years. He observed: “…words still have the power to
challenge inhumane systems and structures…I believe that literature has the
potential to make, change and challenge structures of power…I have been in a
cage for years but throughout this time my mind has always been producing
words, and these words have taken me across borders, taken me overseas and to
unknown places. I truly believe words are more powerful than the fences of this
place, this prison.”
Boochani was referring to the capacity of the imagination to serve as a refuge, to offer an escape. I often heard this sentiment during my time as director of English PEN’S Writ…
Boochani was referring to the capacity of the imagination to serve as a refuge, to offer an escape. I often heard this sentiment during my time as director of English PEN’S Writ…