Hundreds of protesters gathered at the West Qurna 1 oil field in Basra, Iraq, demanding local job opportunities. Despite promises from local government officials, no significant progress has been made. Security forces attempted to forcibly disperse the demonstration, but protesters pledged to continue their efforts until their demands are met.

On Sunday, numerous demonstrators assembled at an oil field in Iraq’s Basra province, advocating for employment opportunities for local residents. Security forces responded by attempting to forcibly disperse the crowd. Hassan Wamid, representing unemployed engineers from the Al-Sadiq district, informed Shafaq News Agency that many protesters at the West Qurna 1 oil field were engineers who had been listed for one thousand available positions but had not yet been hired.

Wamid stated, “The local government had previously met with us and promised immediate solutions within a month, yet no serious steps have been taken.” Despite the security forces employing batons and sticks to break up the protest, Wamid affirmed that demonstrations would proceed at West Qurna 1, following earlier protests at the West Qurna 2 site. He asserted that the “demonstrators would not back down until their demands were met.”

Basra has been a hotbed for protests concerning employment shortages, especially in relation to the oil sector and ports. Notably, protests had previously occurred in February when demonstrators obstructed access to the Rumaila oil field in a similar act of civil disobedience.

The continuous protests in Basra highlight the growing discontent among local residents regarding employment opportunities within the oil sector. Despite government promises, the lack of action has fueled tensions, leading to forceful dispersal by security forces. The determination of the protesters to pursue their demands underscores the urgent need for a resolution to unemployment issues in the region.

Original Source: shafaq.com