Protesters in Basra appeal to Ayatollah Al-Sistani, Threaten oil field sit-ins over unmet promises
Shafaq News/ Protesters in the northern Basra district of Al-Sadiq have called on Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, to intervene urgently and halt what they describe as violations against their peaceful demonstrations, now in their third week.
Sheikh Maytham al-Mansouri, the leader of the protest movement said, on Monday, addressing Ayatollah Al-Sistani, “residents had previously given local authorities a nine-month ultimatum to address the district’s dire conditions.”
"The protests demand the rights of Al-Sadiq’s residents after the deadline passed…Our legitimate demands include building schools, rehabilitating streets and infrastructure, and creating job opportunities. If these demands remain unmet, we will escalate to an open-ended sit-in near the oil fields."
Demonstrations intensified three days ago when hundreds of residents gathered near one of the oil fields, decrying the lack of basic services in their neighborhoods and demanding employment for local youth, according to Shafaq News correspondent.
Protesters raised banners with slogans like “We will not accept humiliation,” threatening further action, including shutting down oil installations in Basra if their grievances are ignored.
Sheikh al-Mansouri emphasized that the protesters’ patience has run out after “both local and federal governments failed to honor promises to address their demands,” which he said had been repeatedly deferred beyond the original timeline.
