Petition drive under way for a Basra region referendum . The petition is being circulated by the Iraqi National List and has been signed by more than 100,000 people in Iraq. Regions have right to form constitutions , government branches , security forces . The Kurds have had their three-province autonomous region in the north for years , and the central government and the Kurds have had their disagreements : The Kurds have used their autonomy to pursue oil contracts that are n't recognized by Iraq 's central government . Basra province produces a lot of oil and is next to body of water .
Petition drive under way for a Basra region referendum . The petition is being circulated by the Iraqi National List and has been signed by more than 100,000 people in Iraq. Regions have right to form constitutions , government branches , security forces . Basra province produces a lot of oil and is next to body of water .