The Minister: There were peace agreements

Published:: 2012-03-11
Author:: Lagercrantz
Source:: Aftonbladet
City/Country:: Sweden

Carl Bildt sat on Lundin’s board from 2002 to 2006. His responsibility: the oil company’s ethical questions. Aftonbladet asked the Foreign Minister to comment on witness statements about Lundin’s involvement in crimes under international law.

Carl Bildt had a seat on the board of Lundin from 2000 and 2006. Photo: björn lindahl

I have been in South Sudan and met people whose relatives were killed when Lundin set up there. What do you have to say to them?

“I cannot comment on individual cases.”

You made a profit of almost a billion (Swedish kronor). What do the people of southern Sudan get out of it?

“Profit on what? It depends how you calculate”

ECOS (European Coalition on Oil in Sudan) claims that 12,000 people were killed and 160,000 driven out by force just in Block 5A during Lundin’s time in 1997–2003. What do you have to say about that?

“There is unfortunately still fighting in this area - which has nothing to do with this.”

There was a war going on when Lundin was operating in the area?

“No, there was a peace agreement as you know. The Khartoum Agreement.”

Human rights organisations claim that people were killed during this period, not least close to the so-called Lundin Road.

“Many of the discussions about the road proved to be about a completely different road. The Lundin Road ran largely through uninhabited areas.”

I have been there and seen the burned villages

“Yes, now of course! Now there are a lot of people there!”

Have you yourself been questioned?

“Of course not”

By: Leo Lagercrantz

original article in Swedish:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14505359.ab