vox
8th August 2002, 16:27
Published on Thursday, August 8, 2002 by Inter Press Service
Groups Shocked as Officials Urge Judge to Back ExxonMobil
by Jim Lobe
WASHINGTON - Weeks before the State Department told a trial judge that a lawsuit against oil giant ExxonMobil for alleged human rights abuses in Indonesia could endanger Washington's 'war on terror', Indonesia hinted the suit might put U.S. interests at risk, says Human Rights Watch (HRW).
News that the State Department urged a federal court judge to dismiss the case after he asked about claims by ExxonMobil's lawyers that the lawsuit could compromise U.S. interests, particularly the 'war on terrorism', has shocked the human rights community.
The civil suit claims that ExxonMobil is responsible for grave human rights abuses committed by Indonesian security forces in Indonesia's war-torn Aceh province, home to a major ExxonMobil natural-gas operation.
While the Department could have remained neutral in the case, it came down squarely on the company's side in a letter sent to Judge Louis Oberdorfer Jul. 29.
Full Article (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0808-01.htm)
This has got to be one of the most disgusting examples of capitalist values at work I've seen in a long time. The Bush administration appears to be using the "War on Terror" as a cover to protect ExxonMobil and its profits at the expense of human rights.
Bush has already returned funding to the TNI, and while the Bush administration may want to talk about "war," the Indonesian government made it plain when it talked about not being able to "guarantee the safety of foreign investments."
Money is more important the human beings to the Bush administration.
That shouldn't shock anyone, of course. Those of us on the Left have long known that right-wingnuts value money over the lives of the proletariat.
Here's the Human Rights Watch press release (http://www.commondreams.org/news2002/0807-04.htm) on the matter.
There is no way that this action can be defended. Bush is hiding behind the "war on terror" just like he's been doing since he "hit the trifecta," though what kind of person jokes about somethng like that is beyond me. I guess it's the same kind of person who jokes about a condemned woman begging for her life. Don't forget that this was the same guy who promised to restore "dignity" to the presidency.
Have you seen him be dignified even one time?
vox
(Edited by vox at 11:29 am on Aug. 8, 2002)
(Edited by vox at 11:30 am on Aug. 8, 2002)
Groups Shocked as Officials Urge Judge to Back ExxonMobil
by Jim Lobe
WASHINGTON - Weeks before the State Department told a trial judge that a lawsuit against oil giant ExxonMobil for alleged human rights abuses in Indonesia could endanger Washington's 'war on terror', Indonesia hinted the suit might put U.S. interests at risk, says Human Rights Watch (HRW).
News that the State Department urged a federal court judge to dismiss the case after he asked about claims by ExxonMobil's lawyers that the lawsuit could compromise U.S. interests, particularly the 'war on terrorism', has shocked the human rights community.
The civil suit claims that ExxonMobil is responsible for grave human rights abuses committed by Indonesian security forces in Indonesia's war-torn Aceh province, home to a major ExxonMobil natural-gas operation.
While the Department could have remained neutral in the case, it came down squarely on the company's side in a letter sent to Judge Louis Oberdorfer Jul. 29.
Full Article (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0808-01.htm)
This has got to be one of the most disgusting examples of capitalist values at work I've seen in a long time. The Bush administration appears to be using the "War on Terror" as a cover to protect ExxonMobil and its profits at the expense of human rights.
Bush has already returned funding to the TNI, and while the Bush administration may want to talk about "war," the Indonesian government made it plain when it talked about not being able to "guarantee the safety of foreign investments."
Money is more important the human beings to the Bush administration.
That shouldn't shock anyone, of course. Those of us on the Left have long known that right-wingnuts value money over the lives of the proletariat.
Here's the Human Rights Watch press release (http://www.commondreams.org/news2002/0807-04.htm) on the matter.
There is no way that this action can be defended. Bush is hiding behind the "war on terror" just like he's been doing since he "hit the trifecta," though what kind of person jokes about somethng like that is beyond me. I guess it's the same kind of person who jokes about a condemned woman begging for her life. Don't forget that this was the same guy who promised to restore "dignity" to the presidency.
Have you seen him be dignified even one time?
vox
(Edited by vox at 11:29 am on Aug. 8, 2002)
(Edited by vox at 11:30 am on Aug. 8, 2002)