and some people in Aceh become victim, thats how reality becomes ....
the story of US Oil company, exxon, and Indonesian Military Regime having "sex"
QUOTE
Indonesian armed forces chief shrugs off ExxonMobil suit
1 hour ago
JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesia's armed forces chief dismissed Thursday a US federal court judge's ruling that ExxonMobil must face a lawsuit over alleged killings and torture by troops in Aceh province.
General Djoko Santoso said he was not even aware of the suit filed in the United States by 11 villagers alleging atrocities took place in Aceh near the US oil giant's Arun natural gas project in the early 2000s.
The suit accuses Exxon Mobil Corporation and two of its US affiliates, Mobil Corp. and ExxonMobil Oil Corp., and its Indonesian subsidiary, ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI) of "killings and torture committed by military security forces protecting and paid for by EMOI," according to a court document.
US Judge Louis Oberdorfer ruled in Washington on Wednesday that the plaintiffs had provided "sufficient evidence, at this stage, for their allegations of serious abuse."
Oberdorfer denied Exxon Mobil Corp.'s and EMOI's request to throw out the lawsuit, but he dismissed the suit for the group's two US affiliates, Mobil Corp. and ExxonMobil Oil Corp.
The lawsuit was filed in June 2001 by the 11 villagers, using pseudonyms.
Santoso shrugged off the ruling.
"Until now I had no idea about that. If it's true I've just learnt about it from you," he told journalists.
He indicated that the matter did not concern the armed forces because they were not being sued.
"Just go ahead (and sue). The one who will be sued is Exxon, right?" he said.
Aceh, which lies at the northern tip of Sumatra island, saw nearly three decades of bloody conflict before the Indonesian government signed a peace pact with separatist rebels in August 2005.
ExxonMobil has argued that the lawsuit sets a dangerous precedent for all US firms operating overseas and contravenes "well-established constitutional principle" that foreign affairs should not be handled by the courts.
It says it does not condone human rights abuses.
1 hour ago
JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesia's armed forces chief dismissed Thursday a US federal court judge's ruling that ExxonMobil must face a lawsuit over alleged killings and torture by troops in Aceh province.
General Djoko Santoso said he was not even aware of the suit filed in the United States by 11 villagers alleging atrocities took place in Aceh near the US oil giant's Arun natural gas project in the early 2000s.
The suit accuses Exxon Mobil Corporation and two of its US affiliates, Mobil Corp. and ExxonMobil Oil Corp., and its Indonesian subsidiary, ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI) of "killings and torture committed by military security forces protecting and paid for by EMOI," according to a court document.
US Judge Louis Oberdorfer ruled in Washington on Wednesday that the plaintiffs had provided "sufficient evidence, at this stage, for their allegations of serious abuse."
Oberdorfer denied Exxon Mobil Corp.'s and EMOI's request to throw out the lawsuit, but he dismissed the suit for the group's two US affiliates, Mobil Corp. and ExxonMobil Oil Corp.
The lawsuit was filed in June 2001 by the 11 villagers, using pseudonyms.
Santoso shrugged off the ruling.
"Until now I had no idea about that. If it's true I've just learnt about it from you," he told journalists.
He indicated that the matter did not concern the armed forces because they were not being sued.
"Just go ahead (and sue). The one who will be sued is Exxon, right?" he said.
Aceh, which lies at the northern tip of Sumatra island, saw nearly three decades of bloody conflict before the Indonesian government signed a peace pact with separatist rebels in August 2005.
ExxonMobil has argued that the lawsuit sets a dangerous precedent for all US firms operating overseas and contravenes "well-established constitutional principle" that foreign affairs should not be handled by the courts.
It says it does not condone human rights abuses.
QUOTE
Human Rights Violations Suit Against Exxon Will Be Heard
Mike Scarcella
08-18-2008
A federal judge last month ruled that a suit alleging human-rights violations against Exxon can be heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. But until last week, that ruling had been under seal.
The decision is a victory for the plaintiffs in a rare case that seeks to hold a U.S. company responsible for action rooted abroad. Eleven villagers from Aceh, Indonesia, say Exxon should be held liable for alleged violent crimes by Indonesian guards assigned to protect an Exxon facility.
Judge Louis Oberdorfer ruled the court is the proper jurisdiction for the complaint, first filed in 2001. Oberdorfer has yet to rule on a motion for summary judgment or set a trial date. The villagers, represented by several attorneys at Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, are seeking unspecified damages. Much of the case remains under seal.
Exxon attorneys, including Alex Oh of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, urged the judge to redact his ruling, saying correspondence in the opinion is confidential under a protective order. She later declined to comment on the ruling. The opinion includes e-mails between Exxon executives who discuss, among other things, the "complete breakdown of law and order" in Indonesia.
Cohen, Milstein's Michael Hausfeld heralded Oberdorfer's Aug. 11 decision to unseal his opinion. "I think it’s important for the public interest because it reveals the inner-workings of a major public corporation in an area of the world with human-rights concerns," Hausfeld says. "It raises the public issue of responsibility and accountability of American companies operating abroad with respect to human rights."
QUOTE
Exxon Mobil Must Face Lawsuit by Indonesian Villagers (Update1)
By Cary O'Reilly
Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's biggest oil company, must face a lawsuit by villagers in Indonesia who say the company contributed to human-rights abuses by government security forces.
U.S. Judge Louis Oberdorfer in Washington denied a motion by Exxon and ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia to dismiss the suit, saying there is evidence Indonesian security forces under contract with the companies committed atrocities.
``EMOI's and Exxon Mobil Corp.'s ultimate liability is a question entrusted to a finder of fact,'' Oberdorfer said in his order today. ``Accordingly, the court will deny Exxon Mobil Corp.'s and EMOI's motions for summary judgment.''
The villagers sued in 2001, claiming Indonesia security forces working for Irving, Texas-based Exxon committed murder, torture and rape in Aceh province, where the company operates a government-owned oil and natural gas field and a pipeline.
Exxon spokeswoman Margaret Ross said the company will continue to defend against the claims.
``ExxonMobil condemns human rights violations in any form and has actively expressed these views to governments and others around the world,'' Ross said in an e-mailed statement. ``The claims are based on the alleged conduct of the Indonesia military against citizens of Aceh in Aceh during a civil conflict. There is no claim that an ExxonMobil affiliate participated in any human rights violations or any other wrongdoing.''
War on Terror
The U.S. State Department urged the judge to dismiss the suit in 2002, saying it would violate Indonesia's sovereignty and harm the war on terror. The U.S. Supreme Court in June refused to intervene, turning away an Exxon Mobil appeal that said the suit might interfere with U.S. foreign policy.
Chevron Corp., the second-biggest U.S. energy company, faces a trial next month in San Francisco on claims by Nigerian protesters of human-rights abuses by government security forces at an oil well operated by a subsidiary in that country.
Exxon rose 52 cents to $80.47 as of 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have declined 14 percent this year.
The case is Doe v. Exxon Mobil, 01-1357, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).
To contact the reporter on this story: Cary O'Reilly in Washington at caryoreilly@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: August 27, 2008 16:46 EDT
By Cary O'Reilly
Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's biggest oil company, must face a lawsuit by villagers in Indonesia who say the company contributed to human-rights abuses by government security forces.
U.S. Judge Louis Oberdorfer in Washington denied a motion by Exxon and ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia to dismiss the suit, saying there is evidence Indonesian security forces under contract with the companies committed atrocities.
``EMOI's and Exxon Mobil Corp.'s ultimate liability is a question entrusted to a finder of fact,'' Oberdorfer said in his order today. ``Accordingly, the court will deny Exxon Mobil Corp.'s and EMOI's motions for summary judgment.''
The villagers sued in 2001, claiming Indonesia security forces working for Irving, Texas-based Exxon committed murder, torture and rape in Aceh province, where the company operates a government-owned oil and natural gas field and a pipeline.
Exxon spokeswoman Margaret Ross said the company will continue to defend against the claims.
``ExxonMobil condemns human rights violations in any form and has actively expressed these views to governments and others around the world,'' Ross said in an e-mailed statement. ``The claims are based on the alleged conduct of the Indonesia military against citizens of Aceh in Aceh during a civil conflict. There is no claim that an ExxonMobil affiliate participated in any human rights violations or any other wrongdoing.''
War on Terror
The U.S. State Department urged the judge to dismiss the suit in 2002, saying it would violate Indonesia's sovereignty and harm the war on terror. The U.S. Supreme Court in June refused to intervene, turning away an Exxon Mobil appeal that said the suit might interfere with U.S. foreign policy.
Chevron Corp., the second-biggest U.S. energy company, faces a trial next month in San Francisco on claims by Nigerian protesters of human-rights abuses by government security forces at an oil well operated by a subsidiary in that country.
Exxon rose 52 cents to $80.47 as of 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have declined 14 percent this year.
The case is Doe v. Exxon Mobil, 01-1357, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).
To contact the reporter on this story: Cary O'Reilly in Washington at caryoreilly@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: August 27, 2008 16:46 EDT