Sudan’s dramatists renew objection to sale of Kassala theatre

The dramatists’ union in Kassala has renewed its objection to the decision to sell Tajoj theatre in Kassala city at an auction on Monday. The Commissioner of Kassala justified the decision by branding the establishment ‘an evil den’.

Kassala Commissioner, Mutasim Osman, has earlier attributed the decision of selling Tajoj theatre that has turned to what he called “an evil den”.

The Commissioner SAYS THAT an alternative Kassala National Theatre will be built to accommodate about 1,350 people in a period not exceeding eight months at a cost of SDG 180 million ($28 million) in preparation for schools competitions.

He said the new theatre will be built from money of the sale of Tajoj theatre.

Haroun Mirghani, the head of the dramatists’ union in Kassala, says that “the promises of the state government to build a new theatre as drugging the dramatists and citizens by trying to appease their anger”.

Mirghani has strongly refuted Commissioner Mutasim Osman’s claim that there were any untoward practices at Tajoj theatre, and challenged the Commissioner to prove his claim.

He says their insistence on the current location of Tajoj theatre is based on its nearness to the transportation station that connects 18 districts of the city.

Mirghani praised the broad solidarity of theatricals and dramatists across Sudan and their categorical rejection of the sale of Tajoj theatre which is considered cultural heritage that should be preserved.