Petroleum graduates stage second protest in Basra over oil jobs
Unemployed petroleum and engineering graduates staged a second protest in Basra on Sunday, demanding jobs in the oil sector.
Dozens rallied outside the Basra Oil Company headquarters, accusing the government of ignoring their repeated appeals. 'Rights are taken, not handed out,' protest representative Hassan al-Shawi told Shafaq News.
'After more than five months of sit-ins with no results, we're escalating through peaceful, sustained demonstrations,' he added. 'Remaining silent in the face of injustice is no longer an option.'
Al-Shawi explained that most demonstrators hold degrees in petroleum engineering, geology, or related fields and are seeking daily-wage positions at operational oil companies or contract jobs under the Oil Ministry's Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) project.
'These demands are legitimate and backed by a letter from Prime Minister [Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's] Office,' he noted, stressing that the proposed jobs are exempt from the federal budget law's hiring restrictions.
He also rebuked Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani—himself a Basra native—for not intervening despite his familiarity with the graduates' situation.
Earlier today, another group of graduates blocked access to the al-Barjisiya oil zone, demanding permanent employment under Resolution 315 and exemption from recent hiring freezes.
Protests near Basra's oil fields have grown more frequent, driven by surging unemployment among local graduates and mounting frustration over limited access to jobs, inadequate services, and lack of inclusion in both public and private energy firms operating in the province.
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