Aceh rebels accuse ExxonMobil of involvement in "brutal military campaign"

Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province on Friday accused US-based energy giant ExxonMobil Indonesia of providing funds and facilities to soldiers to wage "a brutal military campaign" in Aceh.

"Facts tell us that EMOI (ExxonMobil Oil Inc.) facilities have turned into a military base as well as torture camps and killing chambers," Free Aceh Movement spokesman Sofyan Daud said in a statement.

Daud charged that ExxonMobil pays Rp. 3 million (US$ = 10.400) per low-ranking military personnel a month apart from other lump sums.

"Summary killings, harassment of innocent civilians, arson of civilian facilities, rapes, disappearances ... have been all perpetrated by the 'EMOI army'," the statement said.

ExxonMobil Indonesia spokeswoman Julia Tumengkol denied the allegations

"We are disturbed by any suggestions that ExxonMobil or its affiliate companies are in any way involved in alleged human rights abuses by security forces in Aceh," Tumengkol told AFP.

"ExxonMobil condemns the violations of human rights in any form and categorically denies these allegations," she said.

The company's gas fields in Aceh on Sumatra island is guarded by the Indonesian military.

ExxonMobil shut down its operations for four months in Aceh last year and evacuated foreign staff, blaming rebel attacks for worsening security, which included arson and kidnapping.

The closure cost Indonesia about 100 million dollars a month in lost liquefied natural gas exports to Japan and South Korea.

Last month unidentified gunmen killed an Indonesian employee contracted by the company. The military blamed separatist rebels.

Accusations that ExxonMobil is indirectly involved in military human rights violations in Aceh have been made by human rights groups in the past.(*)