The Galle Literary Festival 2011 organizers today announced Nobel Prize Winner Orhan Pamuk and Booker Prize Winner Kiran will not be attending the Literary Festival in Galle due to Indian Re-entry visa restrictions.

The press release states:

It is with great regret that we have to announce that Orhan Pamuk and Kiran Desai will not be attending the Literary Festival in Galle due to Indian Re-entry visa restrictions. We have been trying to resolve the issue with the Indian Immigration Authorities for the last three weeks but it has just not been possible.

Nobody is sadder than Mr. Pamuk and Miss Desai, Mr Pamuk in an e-mail to the organisers said, “I am very sorry for and frustrated about this decision…I looked forward to seeing the beauties of Sri Lanka very much.” Miss Desai in a separate e-mail said, “Nobody could be sadder than me. I love Sri Lanka and had a super time the last time I was in Galle.”

The Literary Festival will continue as scheduled from Wednesday 26th January, a full programme can be seen on www.galleliteraryfestival.com 

Festival founder Geoffrey Dobbs says, “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, the Festival is one of the few forums in the country which actively promote lively and spirited discussions, we want this 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.”

We are pleased to announce that Louis de Bernieres has rescheduled his visit to coincide with the main Festival.”

han Pamuk, 2006 Nobel prize winning writer and Kiran Desai, 2006 Man Booker Prize winning author, will not be attending the Galle Literary Festival (GLF) to be held from January 27 -31.