This is the first interruption of the flow of black gold in Iraq, the second producer of OPEC. Hundreds of protesters blocked Sunday, December 29, access to the Nassiriya oil field, 300 km south of Baghdad, which produces 82,000 barrels per day. By this blockage, which is part of the protest movement launched in the country three months ago, the protesters are demanding jobs, said executives of the oil sector.
Since the start of this unprecedented revolt in Iraq for decades, protesters have accused the power of corruption and incompetence, and rejected the interference of its Iranian sponsor.
In most cities in southern Iraq, administrations and schools have been closed for more than two months, almost without interruption.
In Diwaniya on Sunday, protesters again declared a "general strike" to pressure authorities in the doldrums.
Abduction and assassination campaign
Under pressure from the street, Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi resigned at the end of November and the main institutions remain unable to agree on the name of the future head of government.
On Thursday, it was the President of the Republic, Barham Saleh, who threatened to resign rather than proposing to form the government the name of the candidate wanted by Iraqi officials close to Iran, a powerful neighbor who is constantly gaining in influence in Iraq.
Parliament has just voted on electoral reform, but there is no indication that the early elections demanded by many are to be held soon.
Protesters are calling for an end to the corruption that has engulfed Iraq's GDP and the political system of job distribution according to ethnic groups and faiths in 16 years.
Since October 1, the revolt has been marked by violence that has left nearly 460 dead and 25,000 injured, most of them protesters.
If the violence has recently reduced in intensity, the Government Human Rights Commission said it was still without news of 56 activists. And according to the UN "militias" are waging a vast campaign of kidnappings and assassinations of protesters and protest figures.
With AFP
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