Talisman Energy selling Sudan property

CALGARY, Alberta — Canada’s Talisman Energy has announced that it will sell its property in Sudan to an Indian oil company. For the last four years, Talisman was involved in oil production in Sudan, as well as an oil pipeline project there.

The company was criticized by many human rights and Christian groups as exacerbating the conflict between the north and south Sudanese for oil profits. Sudan has been split by civil wars for the past two decades and profits from oil have helped the Islamic northern regime wage war against the southern Christian and animist rebels, claimed human rights groups.

Talisman chief executive Jim Buckee announced during a news conference Oct. 30 that shareholders did not want to be involved in the “perceived political risk” of operating in Sudan.

Glenn Penner, spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs, said that Talisman’s decision was welcome, but took too long. “The last four years have left a bloody stain on Canada’s reputation in the region that will not be washed away for some time,” said Penner. “ If anything, this should serve to even further de-politicize this campaign. We never intended this campaign to be a backhanded way to pressure Talisman. It is a spiritual response to a spiritual problem — that of our indifference and greed.”