Waqas Ahmad Khwaja and Darman Moenir Interview

Peter Nazareth interviews two 1998 IWP participants Waqas Ahmad Khwaja and Darman Moenir.  Earlier in the day Khwaja participated on a panel that discusses whether a writer writes as an individual or as a represenative of their people.  He feels both views are simplistic and believe writers writes because the feel lonely but loneliness stems from their environment.  Khwaja explains why he writes in English and then reads one of his poems, “Collateral Conspiracy.”

Darman Moenir talks about his life in Indonesia.  He was formerly a reporter and he shares how his writing style has changed since he left journalism.  He says that he invokes some of the social problems in Indonesia in his writing but is careful to avoid seeming exploitative. 

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In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction | Poetry

Authors: Waqas Ahmad Khwaja , Darman Moenir

Date Recorded: January 01, 1988

Program: --

Format: discussion

Topics: Pakistani music; John Deere; the isolated writer; English language in Pakistan; Indonesian theater

Note: Month and Day are unknown.

Play Audio (24 min.)