U.S. court trial does not affect ExxonMobil?s operation in Aceh

ExxonMobil Oil?s activities in its giant liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh continue as usual although the company is now being tried for allegedly involved in human rights violation in the province, Koran Tempo reported on Saturday.

All the company?s workers carry out their routine activities although security officials, as usual, continue to provide a tight security control in the company?s LNG fields, which last year were closed for several months due to the worsening of arm conflicts between the pro-independence movement GAM and the government?s soldiers in the troubled province.

Commenting the company?s legal suit filed by International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) for the company?s alleged involvement in the violation of human rights in the province, ExxonMobil?s spokeswoman Deva Rachman said that the charge was baseless.

"We regret the legal suit and would try hard to defend ourselves," she said, adding that ExxonMobil strongly condemned any forms of human rights violations and had worked together with the Indonesian government to fights against it.

ILRF has charged ExxonMobil of facilitating the military operation launched by the government in the troubled province. Hundreds of people, either from GAM, civilians or the government?s soldiers, have been killed in the prolonged conflicts. (*)