Exxon on the wrong end of the stick in Indonesia

Seems like big foreign corporations are being brought to justice these days. The latest case involves oil company Exxon. Indonesia is an oil producing country, and getting the stuff out of the ground fast enough means they need foreign help. Oil is basically money you pump out of the ground and there is so much of it sloshing around that people in high places have a vested interest in seeing that everything goes smoothly. Pesky locals are one thing that oil companies hate and here in Indonesia, Exxon hired the Indonesian military to keep them away (four infantry battalions and an armored cavalry unit!). Exxon allowed its facilities to be used to torture locals (never heard that one before).

Interestingly it was a US judge who allowed Indonesian villagers to sue Exxon, over abuses committed on it property by the Indonesian military. Complicated situation indeed. I guess my feeling is if a corporation is knowingly harming people it should be brought to justice.