A group of writers have gathered for a three-day forum in Juba to share experiences and brainstorm how they can constructively contribute to debates in the country, Radio Miraya reported. 

The UN-run radio station quoted the chairman of the South Sudanese Writers Association, Joseph Abuk as saying, “There are writers in South Sudan. These are not the only writers that you would call writers in South Sudan. There are many scattered in the suburbs of Juba. There are many, Torit in Wau at Malakal everywhere.” 

“But you can see the level of awareness, the level of our development, the level of enlightenment, as educated people of course is below the table. And so there are very extreme hardships that are facing writers in this country to the extent that even their coming to know each other, even their coming to be together is difficult, but we would want to say this, that at least we can begin somewhere.”     

The government of Germany is supporting the forum. Ambassador David Schwake says, “We believe that debate, discussion, is important to every society. And in our tradition and in our experience writers and the intellectual have always played an important role in discussing the most crucial issues that came up in the various societies.” 

“And that’s certainly true for the German tradition. And as you already mentioned, South Sudan is currently facing a lot of open questions about identity, about where the country comes from, about where it is heading to and so on. We believe that writers, intellectuals and artists can contribute and should contribute to this discussion,” said the ambassador.     

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