Basra oil graduates clash with police amid job protests

Shafaq News/ Hundreds of engineering and geology graduates in Basra staged a fresh protest on Sunday, demanding fair employment opportunities in the province’s oil sector.

The demonstration, held in front of key government buildings, ended in clashes with security forces.

Hassan al-Shawi, a representative of the protesters, told Shafaq News that the graduates have been staging demonstrations for months with little progress. “We’ve heard endless promises from officials, but they remain empty words—no real jobs, no real opportunities,” he said.

He added that although the demonstration was peaceful, security forces used force to disperse the crowd, injuring at least one protester who was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Basra, home to the bulk of Iraq’s oil wealth and a key driver of the federal budget, remains mired in paradox: billions of dollars in oil revenue flow from the province, yet many residents—particularly qualified young graduates—struggle with joblessness. Previous Shafaq News reports have chronicled how discontent in Basra has also been fueled by deteriorating infrastructure, poor water quality, and unreliable electricity.

Protesters argue that job opportunities in the oil sector are often monopolized by political parties’ patronage networks or by workers from other provinces, leaving residents excluded. This exclusion has fueled repeated demonstrations in recent years.

Basra’s protesters are calling on oil companies to prioritize local hires in line with federal development commitments. “We’re not asking for favors,” al-Shawi said. “We’re demanding fair access to the jobs that our land’s resources generate.”

The graduates have pledged to continue their movement peacefully, despite the risks. “We’re the children of Basra,” al-Shawi told Shafaq News. “We won’t let our voices be silenced.”