Gathering at the South Gas Company in Basra
Basra engineering graduates protest for employment opportunities
BASRA, Iraq — Dozens of engineering graduates protested in front of the South Gas Company, west of Basra, demanding job placements in the Ministry of Oil, four years after earning their degrees.
Zain Alaa, speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, told 964media, “For nearly a year, we have staged protests at the gates of oil fields and companies, facing continual neglect and delay.”
“Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani has failed to honor the commitments he made to us four months ago. We will persist in our protests until our demands are satisfied,” she stated.
Maha Ahmed, another protester, said, “Since 5 a.m., 600 of us, both men and women, all graduates in petroleum engineering, have been here. As natives of this oil-rich city, we deserve employment in the oil industry. Yet, at every protest, we encounter suppression by security forces, disregard for our engineering qualifications, and are treated as adversaries, without respect for women’s dignity.”
This is not the first time oil engineering graduates have demonstrated for job opportunities in the sector. Despite previous promises from Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani to employ more graduates in the sector, many remain out of work after completing their studies.