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An international human rights group says it has filed a lawsuit
against the giant ExxonMobil oil company, accusing it of actively
abetting human rights abuses in Indonesia.
In a case filed in Washington, the International Labor Rights Fund
(ILRF) says Exxon was implicated by virtue of the local army units
it hired to protect its natural gas fields in Aceh province, northern
Sumatra.
ExxonMobil - which often trades under the brand name Esso - understood
that the army units were notoriously brutal in their treatment of
Indonesia's ethnic minorities
Lawyer Terry Collingsworth
The case, brought on behalf of 11 Acehnese villagers, accuses Exxon
of complicity in the murder, torture and sexual abuse of the local
population. It alleges that Exxon provided the Indonesian military
with equipment to dig mass graves, as well as building interrogation
and torture centres. Exxon denies all the allegations.
The action is being taken under the Alien Tort Claims Act, which
allows US jurisdiction over acts committed outside the US.
Hard evidence
Terry Collingsworth, a lawyer for the ILRF, said Exxon knew from
the beginning about the security forces' reputation of brutality
towards ethnic minorities. Exxon is accused of encouraging human
rights abuses
"This is the first time we actually have evidence that the
oil company has supported the instrumentality for the human rights
violations," he said. An Exxon statement said the company was
"deeply troubled" by the violence in North Aceh and was
concerned for the safety of its staff and subcontractors.
"Our company rejects and categorically denies any suggestion
or implication that it or its affiliate companies were in any way
involved with alleged human rights abuses by security forces in
Aceh," it added.
Operations suspended
Thousands of people have died in the long-running separatist campaign
by Aceh militants against the Indonesian Government - more than
700 have died this year alone.
Exxon in Aceh
2nd largest LNG producer in IndonesiaMax 1.66bn cu ft/dayProduction
shut down 9 MarchClosure costs Indonesia $100m per month. Exxon
suspended its operations there in March for security reasons.
Despite pressure from the Indonesian government, which is losing
an estimated $100m a month in liquid natural gas (LNG) revenues,
the company has so far refused to restart its operation, although
it is considering resuming its operation.
Exxon sites have been the scenes of fighting and staff have been
threatened and even kidnapped. Vehicles have also been burned and
shots have been fired at Exxon chartered aircraft.
Exxon abroad
The Asia-Pacific region contributes about 13% of ExxonMobil's worldwide
production of oil and gas.
In Indonesia, the company produces gas from the country's largest
natural gas field - Arun - which is then processed by the state
owned oil and gas firm Pertamina.
Last year, this gas yielded 118 cargoes of the valuable LNG which
was shipped to customers in Japan and Korea.
Other exploration, appraisal and development planning activities
are currently under way in the region.
Many of the world's potential hotspots for oil are also located
in areas of political unrest such as Nigeria and Algeria.
Oil companies are often forced to weigh the risks of entering a
particular area against the value of the assets they believe to
be awaiting discovery below the surface.
Exxon in Aceh
2nd largest LNG producer in IndonesiaMax 1.66bn cu ft/day.
Production shut down 9 MarchClosure costs Indonesia $100m
per month
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