Update: Talisman Accused of Cover-Up

Ian Taylor, Former Talisman Employee
The lawsuit by the Presbyterian Church of Sudan against Talisman Energy, a Canadian oil company, has taken a further twist.  A sworn statement of a former Talisman employee claims that the oil company deliberately destroyed evidence of human rights abuses, allowed its airfields to be used by the Sudanese military in attacks against the south.  The statement also claims that the company masqueraded security advisers as community development officers.  Ian Taylor, Talisman's former manager of community development in Sudan, gave the sworn statement in September 2001.  Tragically, he died of a heart attack last fall.  In his statement, he wrote "I feel a deep sense of shame for not realizing Talisman's true objective earlier than I did and I experience daily nightmares based on fear for my eternal soul for the role I have played in the murder, starvation and displacement of the southern Sudanese people." 

An Ontario Superior Court justice has also ordered Taylor's family to turn over all of Ian's correspondence and documents that might shed light on the case. While the lawsuit has been filed in New York, the Taylors live in Canada, which is why the church requested the involvement of the Ontario judge.  The family only hesitated to release the documents until receiving a court order due to concerns of retribution from Talisman.  The ruling can be viewed online.

  • Country Information

    Population
    49,197,555 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Sudanese Arab (70), Fur, Beja, Nuba and Fallata (30)

    Religion
    Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority

    Leader
    President (to be determined)
    Transitional military leadership in place

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system of Islamic law and English common law

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Sudan

    Pray that Christians throughout Sudan will continue to entrust themselves to Christ and preach the Gospel boldly, knowing Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth (2 Timothy 1:7-12, Revelation 1:5).

    Pray also that peace, justice and religious freedom may be firmly established.

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