Outrage among Sudan’s dramatists over sale of theatre

Dramatists and people involved in drama in east Sudan have unanimously condemned a decision by the Kassala State Government to sell the Tajoj theatre at auction on Monday.

On Tuesday, the chairman of the Kassala Union of Dramatists, Merghani Haroun Mohammed, told Radio Dabanga that the decision will send negative effects on theatre and drama movement in the state.

He says that the Union has begun to escalate the issue through various media, and called on the state Government to back-down from the decision, and appealed to the Presidency in Khartoum to immediately intervene to stop the sale of the theatre.

The Kassala dramatists’ voices of condemnation have been joined by leading dramatists in Khartoum.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, theatre director Rabi Yousif described the decision as “a grave and flagrant violation of cultural and social rights”.

He said that the sale will contribute to the expansion of injustice among dramatists, and expressed his surprise that competent authorities were not consulted before making the decision.

He said they will escalate their steps of protest using all peaceful means such as vigils, newspaper articles and social networks to stop the auction.