Article
Exxon Human Rights abuse in Aceh
Judge Oberdorfer of the District of Columbia…ruled that there was sufficient evidence for a jury to decide whether…Exxon should be held liable for the actions of Indonesian soldiers who, while guarding Exxon assets, committed human rights abuses…. [Exxon’s] Arun Project was based in Aceh…. In the 1980’s the Gerekan Aceh Merdeka (GAM) or the Free Aceh Movement was seeking independence for the region and as a result the Suharto Government declared the region ‘an area of special military operations’.…[U]nits of the [Indonesia military] were hired to provide security for [Exxon’s] operations. It is the actions of these hired military units that this case is based around…. [also refers to Pertamina, Japanese-Indonesia Liquid Natural Gas Company]