Exxon to Face Suit by Indonesian Villagers

Exxon Mobil Corp. must face a lawsuit by villagers in Indonesia who say the company contributed to human-rights abuses by government security forces.

U.S. Judge Louis Oberdorfer in Washington denied a motion by Irving, Texas-based Exxon to dismiss the suit on sovereignty grounds, saying that U.S. law trumps Indonesia's in deciding which court system should hear the case.

The villagers sued in 2001, claiming Indonesia security forces working for Exxon committed murder, torture and rape in Aceh province, where the company operates a government-owned oil and natural-gas field and a pipeline.

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