ZEYNEB ÎSA

Qamishlo- On November 13, 1960, 500 children were brought to the Amouda Cinema, located in the Amouda town of Jazira Canton, NE Syria, to watch the Egyptian film ‘The Midnight Spirit’ (Chabah nisf al-layl) upon the instructions of the Syrian government although the capacity of the cinema was 200. The doors of the cinema were locked after 500 elementary school students entered the cinema and 283 Kurdish schoolchildren aged between 8-14 were killed in the fire. Although people accused the Syrian government of intentionally starting the fire, no investigation was launched into the fire.

 64 years have passed since the Amouda cinema fire. The cinema has been rebuilt in cooperation with the Municipalities’ Union of Jazira Canton and the Rojava Film Commune.

Library next to the cinema

“The aim of the rebuilding of the cinema is to commemorate and remember those who lost their lives in the fire,” said Dorîn Deqorî of the Technical Control Department at the Amouda Municipality. “The lot area of the cinema will be 162 square meters and rebuilding it will cost 346, 326 dollars. The project to rebuild the cinema was proposed by the Municipalities’ Union of Jazira Canton and the Rojava Film Commune. The construction of the cinema started on August 31 and it continues. We will build a library next to the cinema.”

Speaking about the next projects of the municipality, Dorîn Deqorî said, “We plan to develop more projects because we work for our people and our society.”