Swedish oil executives charged with complicity in Sudan war crimes

SWEDEN has charged two executives (pictured below) of a Swedish oil exploration and production company for complicity in the military's war crimes in Sudan from 1999 to 2003. Full story here below.

Note, in this site's sidebar there is a USAID 2001 Sudan Oil and Gas Concessions Map. Click on title above the map to view a larger version and see Block 5A. Also, in the sidebar there is a search box. Type in the words 'Darfur oil' to read related reports in the archive of this 18-year-old site. 

Full copy of article published at India Express.com 

Dated 11 November 2021 07:08 PM  

Written by The Associated Press (AP) 

Sweden charges two oil executives for war crimes in Sudan 

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Sweden has charged two executives of a Swedish oil exploration and production company for complicity in the military's war crimes in Sudan from 1999 to 2003, including in its dealings with the country's regime to secure the company’s oil operations in the African nation. 

The two, who were not identified by the Swedish Prosecution Authority, had “a decisive influence” on the business of Stockholm-based Lundin Oil AB in Sudan, the prosecutors said, adding one was indicted for complicity for the period May 1999-March 2003, and the other for the period October 2000-March 2003. 

Lundin Oil later became Lundin Petroleum and is now known as Lundin Energy. 

From 1983 to 2005, Sudan was torn apart by a civil war between the Muslim-dominated north and Christian south. 

A separate conflict in Darfur, the war-scarred region of western Sudan, began in 2003. Thousands of people were killed and nearly 200,000 displaced. 

A 2010 report by an activist group, the European Coalition on Oil in Sudan, alleged that Lundin Oil and three other oil companies helped exacerbate the war in southern Sudan by signing an oil exploration deal with the Sudanese government for an area the regime didn’t fully control. That led the Swedish prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into the company.  Six years later, its chairman, Ian H. Lundin, and then CEO Alex Schneiter, were informed that they were the suspects of the investigation. 

Lundin was the operator of a consortium of companies exploring site Block 5A, including Malaysia’s Petronas Carigali Overseas, OMV (Sudan) Exploration GmbH of Austria, and the Sudanese state-owned oil company Sudapet Ltd. 

Our ”investigation shows that the military and its allied militia systematically attacked civilians or carried out indiscriminate attacks," Public Prosecutor Henrik Attorps said in a statement. In a reaction, Lundin spokesman Robert Eriksson said the Swedish prosecutors decision to issue charges was “incomprehensible" and called the investigation “unfounded and fundamentally flawed." 

“Both Ian and Alex strongly deny the charges, and we know that Lundin did nothing wrong. There is no evidence linking any representatives of Lundin to the alleged primary crimes in this case," said Eriksson, head of Lundin's media communications, said. 

After the Sudanese military went into Block 5A in May 1999, Lundin Oil “changed its view of who should be responsible for the security around the company’s operations,” the prosecution said, and added that the company requested that the military should now be made responsible for the security, knowing that this meant that the military would then need to take control of Block 5A via military force. 

"What constitutes complicity in a criminal sense is that they made these demands despite understanding or, in any case being indifferent to the military and the militia carrying out the war in a way that was forbidden according to international humanitarian law”, the Chief Public Prosecutor Krister Petersson said. 

Eriksson said that Lundin operated in Block 5A “responsibly, as part of an international consortium, and in full alignment with the policy of constructive engagement endorsed by the United Nations, European Union and Sweden at the time.” 

The authority said that there also was a claim to confiscate an amount of 1.4 billion kronor ($161 million) from Lundin Energy AB, which, according to the prosecutor, is the equivalent value of the profit of 720 million kronor ($83 million) which the company made on the sale of the business in 2003. 

”It is important that these serious crimes are not forgotten. War crimes are one of the most serious crimes that Sweden has an international obligation to investigate and bring to justice," Attorps said. 

Photo: Sweden Flag (Photo | AFP) 

Original: https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/nov/11/sweden-charges-two-oil-executives-for-war-crimes-in-sudan-2382336.html 

PHOTO CREDIT: the above photo of the two oil executives is from a Financial Times.com report dated 11 Nov 2021 entitled 'Swedish oil executives charged with complicity in Sudan war crimes' - Lundin case is first prosecution of corporate bosses for such serious offences since Nuremberg trials: https://www.ft.com/content/8fd015a3-622f-4741-86ca-97d462f3ed9d

1. Charged: Lundin Energy chairman Ian Lundin. Photo: LUNDIN ENERGY

2. Charged: Lundin Energy director Alex Schneiter Photo: STIAN LYSBERG SOLUM/NTB/SCANPIX

3. Pictured in 2009: The Thar Jath oilfield lies in Block 5A in South Sudan. It was discovered in 2001 before South Sudan's independence and before Lundin Energy sold its stake in the block Photo: AFP/SCANPIX

PHOTOS: the three photos cited above can be viewed in a report at Upstream: https://www.upstreamonline.com/people/complicity-in-war-crimes-alleged-top-lundin-energy-executives-charged-over-sudan-legacy/2-1-1097152

RELATED REPORTS FROM BING SEARCH ENGINE IN PAST WEEK

In First Since Nuremberg Trials; Sweden Charges Corporate Executives Of Oil Company Lundin With Complicity In War Crimes In Sudan

Two key executives of Lundin Energy, a Swedish oil company, were charged by country's prosecutors with complicity in war ...

Swarajya

Sweden charges Lundin Energy executives with complicity in Sudan war crimes

Swedish prosecutors on Thursday brought charges against the chairman and former CEO of Lundin Energy for complicity in war ...

Defence Web

Sweden charges 2 oil executives for war crimes in Sudan

Sweden has charged two executives of a Swedish oil exploration and production company for complicity in the military's war crimes in Sudan from 1999 to 2003, including in its dealings with the country ...

StarTribune

Swedish oil executives charged with complicity in Sudan war crimes

The main owner and former chief executive of Lundin Energy have been charged with complicity in grave war crimes in Sudan, ...

The Financial Times

Swedish Prosecution Authority brings charges in relation to Company’s past operations in Sudan

(“Lundin Energy” or the “Company”) announces that the Swedish Prosecution Authority has today brought criminal charges against Chairman of the Board Ian H. Lundin and Director Alex Schneiter in ...

Yahoo Finance

Sweden charges Lundin Energy executives for complicity in Sudan war crimes

Swedish prosecutors on Thursday brought charges against the chairman and former CEO of Lundin Energy for complicity in war ...

FXEmpire.com

Sweden charges oil execs with Sudan war crimes

Two executives from Swedish oil company Lundin Energy have been charged with complicity in war crimes committed by Sudan’s regime between 1999 and 2003, Sweden’s Prosecution Authority said Thursday.

Macau Business

Sweden: Top oil executives charged with aiding and abetting war crimes in Sudan

Two top Swedish oil executives are facing prosecution in their home country for aiding and abetting war crimes in Sudan.

athina984

"Complicity" in war crimes alleged: Top Lundin Energy executives charged over Sudan legacy

Swedish Prosecution Authority lays charges against chairman Ian Lundin and director Alex Schneiter after 11-year probe into ...

Upstream

UK seeks urgent session of top UN rights body on Sudan

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: The penholder for 2021 in the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Sudan is the UK. Also, the US is the penholder for 2021 in the UNSC on South Sudan, Sudan/South Sudan, Sudan sanctions and South Sudan sanctions.  Source: List* of 2021 UN Security Council Chairs of Subsidiary Bodies and Penholders.

Over eighteen years have passed since I began this blog, Sudan Watch. In 2003 I couldn't find a map of Darfur on the internet. Today, when I look at these photos showing protests in Khartoum, many of the protestors look younger than this blog. All they've known is war. They deserve their voices to be heard and their protests to be heeded. They are the future.

The world wide web, invented and freely given to the world by Englishman Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has enabled the world to watch Sudan and South Sudan and to donate its hard earned cash to help to bring peace and prosperity to the two countries. God help anyone who does anything to harm Sudan’s prime minister Hamdok or his family or colleagues. The world will go mad.

Billions of people around the world wish that music could unite us all to make world peace. Everyone knows love is the most important thing. God bless all Sudanese people and bring them love and peace.

* https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/working_methods_penholders_chairs.pdf

Here is a full copy of a news report by Reuters

Reporting by STEPHANIE NEBEHAY; editing by GILES ELGOOD

Dated Monday, 1 November 2021 3:50 PM GMT UK

Britain seeks urgent session of top UN rights body on Sudan

Photo and caption: Protesters carry a banner and national flags as they march against the Sudanese military's recent seizure of power and ousting of the civilian government, in the streets of the capital Khartoum, Sudan October 30, 2021. Credit: REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin

Photo and caption: Protesters gesture and shout slogans as they demonstrate against the Sudanese military's recent seizure of power and ousting of the civilian government, in the capital Khartoum, Sudan October 30, 2021. Credit: REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin/File Photo

GENEVA, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday that it had requested that the U.N. Human Rights Council convene an emergency session on Sudan following last week's military coup.

The request was sent to the president of the 47-member Geneva forum on behalf of 18 member states, more than the one-third required to convene a special session. It was backed by 30 countries with observer status, including the United States.

"The actions of the Sudanese military are a betrayal of the revolution, the transition & the hopes of the Sudanese people," Simon Manley, Britain's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, said in a tweet.

Last week, Sudan's military took power in a coup, detaining civilian officials and politicians, and promising to establish a new government of technocrats. The coup has been met with opposition and street demonstrations over the last week.

Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Giles Elgood

View original:  https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/britain-seeks-urgent-session-top-un-rights-body-sudan-2021-11-01/

S. Sudan releases budget after paying civil servants following non-payment for 6 months

Article from Middle East Monitor.com

Dated 08 July 2019 at 9:21 pm

South Sudan releases budget after paying civil servants

Photo: Flag of South Sudan [MEM File photo]

South Sudan on Monday presented a 2019-20 fiscal year budget of 208 billion South Sudanese pounds ($1.3 billion) to parliament after agreeing to pay six months’ salary arrears to civil servants, reports Anadolu Agency.

The government pledged any further arrears will go in the regular monthly salaries.

The budget is meant to help the consolidation of peace and necessary reforms to stabilize the economy, Finance and Planning Minister Salvatore Garang Mabiordit said on Monday.“We anticipate a rise in oil production, with additional oil fields coming online,” Mabiordit said.“The economic recovery process is also spurred by the revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018.

Mabiordit said the country is optimistic that as more people return home to engage in productive activities including agriculture, the economic recovery can be sustained.“We need to do more to attract new investment into the oil sector while improving trade he said, adding that for the first time, non-oil revenue is contributing about 23% of the total resource.

Amid a large deficit due to infrastructure spending, he said that the budget renews their commitment to limiting borrowing from the bank of South Sudan. He said that the budget will be funded from oil production and collection of non-oil revenue plus anything coming from donors.

SOURCE: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190708-south-sudan-releases-budget-after-paying-civil-servants/

S. Kordofan: Heglig, the biggest oil field in Sudan, could be a source of potential conflict between SPLM and NCP

Heglig, the biggest oil field in Sudan, could be a source of potential conflict between the SPLM and the NCP. Sudan Radio Service spoke to political analyst Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh from Khartoum on Monday who explained that:

"As long as Unity state is one of the ten southern states it means that Heglig belongs to the south. The ABC report said Heglig is part of Abyei, the PCA said it is not part of Abyei. The southerners are saying if the PCA has removed Heglig from the Abyei area, it should be part of Unity state. The north is saying no, it should be included in Southern Kordofan state. This is the situation now. There is no confusion in the PCA’s verdict regarding Heglig oil field, the PCA’s decision has redrawn the eastern boundary of Abyei which was stipulated in the ABC report. It arbitrates on a certain longitude which excludes Heglig out of Abyei province. The SPLM says it is out of Abyei province but it lies inside Unity state, and Unity state is a southern state. So these are new disagreements and have nothing to do with Abyei.” 

Full story from Sudan Radio Service, Monday, 27 July 2009: Where is Heglig? An Analyst Explains

(Khartoum) – Heglig, the biggest oil field in Sudan, could be a source of potential conflict between the SPLM and the NCP, following the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which has placed Heglig and Bamboo oil fields outside the Abyei boundaries. Sudan Radio Service spoke to political analyst Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh from Khartoum on Monday. [Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh]: “There is no confusion in the PCA’s verdict regarding Heglig oil field, the PCA’s decision has redrawn the eastern boundary of Abyei which was stipulated in the ABC report. It arbitrates on a certain longitude which excludes Heglig out of Abyei province. The SPLM says it is out of Abyei province but it lies inside Unity state, and Unity state is a southern state. So these are new disagreements and have nothing to do with Abyei.” Since the two partners have reaffirmed their satisfaction with the PCA’s verdict regarding the Abyei boundaries, Mahjoub explains the source of the disagreements. [Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh]: “The south thinks that it (Heglig) belongs to Unity state according to a previous decree made by the former late president Jafar Nimery. Since he had established Unity state he decreed that Heglig becomes part of Unity state. It was named Unity because it had united the south and the north together, that was the logic. But they are saying that as long as Unity state is one of the ten southern states it means that Heglig belongs to the south. The ABC report said Heglig is part of Abyei, the PCA said it is not part of Abyei. The southerners are saying if the PCA has removed Heglig from the Abyei area, it should be part of Unity state. The north is saying no, it should be included in Southern Kordofan state. This is the situation now.” The SPLM said it is prepared to refer the issue of the Heglig oil fields to the PCA, if necessary. However Mahjoub says that the PCA has already announced its final decision regarding Abyei issue. [Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh]: “The court has no other business regarding this issue, it had announced its arbitration as the case was presented by the two parties, and both of them have accepted and welcomed the verdict, finish.” Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh, a political analyst, was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Khartoum.

- - - USAID 2001 Sudan Oil & Gas Concessions Map Click here to view large version of the following map from Wikipedia.  Click, once or twice, on image at Wikipedia to see full screen size. Heglig, the largest oil field in Sudan

Click here to view Heglig pin pointed on the following map from Wikipedia. Heglig Location in Sudan Coordinates: 11°59′N 27°53′E Country: Sudan State: South Kurdufan Heglig (also spelled Heglieg) is a small town in South Kurdufan state in central Sudan, near the border with Southern Sudan. The area was contested during the Sudanese Civil War. The South Sudanese Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels attacked the oil rigs of Heglig to damage this important source of revenue for the Sudanese government. Heglig oil field Heglig is situated within the Muglad Basin, a rift basin which contains much of Sudan's proven oil reserves. The Heglig oil field was first developed in 1996 by Arakis Energy (now part of Talisman Energy).[1] Today it is operated by the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company.[2] Production at Heglig is reported to have peaked in 2006 and is now in decline.[3] The Heglig oil field is connected to Khartoum and Port Sudan via the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline. (Source: Wikipedia) Click here to view larger image of map above showing Sudan's pipeline, North-South boundary, Abyei and oil concessions. Image source: www.stratfor.com