The Tortured Man

Kamanda's work includes a dozen books of poetry, several novels, and collections of tales, essays, and plays. His literary contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the Grand prix littéraire de l'Afrique noire, Prix Paul Verlaine, Prix Louise Labé, and Prix Théophile Gautier from l'Académie française.Translator : Charitha Liyanage.

"The rebellious man is constant in his resolutions, faithful to his ideals and thoughtful in his commitments. Is it enough to break his pride for him to renounce his passions and aspirations? The passion of the just inspires his thoughts and actions. The fighting spirit is his deepest nature and contradiction his vocation. In truth, he must exercise all his rights without any manipulation, be it ideological or religious, to speak of democracy. Believe me, the happiness of the individual lies in what he apprehends as right in his quest for balance. The expression of free will can lead to slippage, but never to self-denial. In this play, the drama of a man caught in the trap of state reason unfolds against the sinister background of political violence and manipulation." Kama Sywor KAMANDA"I was brought here before you, to show you the painful acts that I have witnessed, in a country where torture is assured to all who fight for freedom and democracy." The Tortured Man is the translation of the French one-act monologue L'Homme Torturé (2013) by Kama Sywor Kamanda.