Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 01/05) - In 2001, a lawsuit was filed by the Washington, D.C.-based International Labour Rights Fund on behalf of 11 villagers from the Indonesian province of Aceh.

They claimed that Exxon Mobil, which operates a natural gas field in the region, paid and directed Indonesian security forces that carried out murder, torture and rape in the course of protecting the company's operations in the 1990s.

Aceh, located in the northern tip of Sumatra, has been at the centre of a 30-year civil war between government forces and rebels who want to establish an independent Islamic state.

In addition to its military campaign, the Indonesian government has passed legislation giving the region more autonomy over its local affairs. As well, these new laws guarantee that the province will keep 70 per cent of revenue derived from Aceh's natural gas reserves, which amount to nearly $200 million (U.S.) annually.

To date, there has been no decision in the ILRF case against Exxon Mobil.

Internet sources

www.labourrights.org
www.financialtimes.com
www.globalsecurity.com
www.bbc.co.uk