Swedish Oil Company Accused Of Crimes Against Humanity

By Tristan Simoneau
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

Swedens Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, who left Lundins board of directors in 2006, is the focus of accusations.  Photo courtesy of The Christian Science Monitor
Photo: Swedens Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, who left Lundins board of directors in 2006, is the focus of accusations. Source: Christian Science Monitor
STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Sweden’s public prosecutor, Magnus Evling, opened a criminal investigation on June 21st after a report was published alleging possible complicity in atrocities in Sudan by Swedish firm Lundin Petroleum.

The report stated that Lundin Petroleum may have been complicit in “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”  According to Mr. Evling, “the purpose of the inquiry is to investigate whether there are individuals with ties to Sweden who are suspected of involvement in crime.”  Carl Bildt, who left Lundin’s board of directors in 2006 to become Sweden’s minister of foreign affairs, is currently the focus of accusations.  This case raises questions about international obligations of corporations to safeguard human rights in conflict zones.

The investigation into the alleged activity, which occurred between 1997 and 2003, is the product of a report by the European Coalition on Oil in Sudan(ECOS), a group of 50 European NGOs.  ECOS claims that the problems began in 1997 when Lundin Consortium signed a 1997 agreement with Sudan’s government for the exploitation of oil in an area where the government lacked “full control.”

ECOS claims that the civilian population was forcibly displaced and victimized during the government’s efforts to secure the oil fields.  It is estimated that 12,000 people died and 160,000 were forcibly displaced through the efforts of the Sudanese government. According to Said Mahmoudi, professor of International Law at Stockholm University, “there is evidence that Lundin knew about what was happening, and they just closed their eyes simply because it was a question of millions and millions of dollars.”  Lundin Petroleum denies any violation of international law.

One of the goals of ECOS in producing the report is the creation of effective “limits for companies working in these types of conflict areas with regimes that are committing human rights violations.”  ECOS Coordinator Egbert Wesselink stated that “in some parts of the world, many companies are effectively working in a legal void because there is no functioning legal system.”  ECOS suggests that a possible remedy for this would be the enforcement of national laws by corporations’ home countries.  Mr. Wesselink noted that enforcement mechanisms are already in place, citing the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court, but the idea “has to be transferred to corporations and the people leading them.”

Concerning  Sudanese victims, there is precedent from the Bosnian conflict, where an international commission was set up to compensate victims.  Furthermore, the Sudanese Constitution states that signatories to oil agreements are responsible for providing compensation.  Even if compensation is provided at some point, it is likely that fair allocation of will be logistically impossible.


For more information, please see:

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR – Swedish oil company under scrutiny after Sudan war crimes report – 22 June 2010

REUTERS – Prosecutor probes Swedish link in Sudan crimes – 21 June 2010

STOCKHOLM NEWS – Oil company accused of war crimes – 6 June 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive