Dr Eric Reeves' self-appointed position as a long-distance
commentator on events within the Sudanese oil fields, already
deeply discredited, has been yet further undermined by the
release of an analysis of satellite pictures taken of the
oil fields over a number of years. Dr Reeves began his Sudan
involvement in the Spring of 1999 stating that he was opposed
to the Sudanese oil project and those foreign oil companies
involved within it. Amongst other things Dr Reeves has claimed
that the Sudanese government has displaced all the population
around the oil fields, "orchestrating a ferocious scorched-earth
policy in the area of the oil fields and pipelines." (1) He
stated, for example, in July 1999, that "[h]uge swaths of
land around the oil fields and pipelines are presently cleared
of all human life and sustenance". (2)
Dr Reeves' credibility as a commentator and researcher has
already been extensively questioned in 'The Return of the
"Ugly American": Eric Reeves and Sudan'.(3) The reliability
of his claims about oil field displacement in Sudan has been
further devastated by a detailed analysis of satellite pictures
taken over a number of years in the very areas of Sudan about
which Dr Reeves makes his bold assertions.
The focus of many of Dr Reeves' questionable allegations has
been the Canadian oil company Talisman Energy. Presumably
at least in part in response to his claims, this company commissioned
a leading British satellite imagery analysis company, Kalagate
Imagery Bureau, to study a series of satellite photographs
taken of their oil concession in Sudan. The images analysed
by the Kalagate Imagery Bureau included civilian satellite
images collected last year and images acquired by U.S. military
intelligence satellites in 1965, 1967, and 1969. Ground resolution
in the images varied between about three feet and 10 feet.
There were additional lower resolution Landsat images from
the 1980s and Radarsat images from 2000. (4) The images were
analysed by Geoffrey John Oxlee, one of Britain's leading
experts in the field.
Mr Oxlee focused his analysis on seven areas where there are
Talisman operations - Heglig, El Toor, Bamboo, Munga, Unity,
Parayang and Bentiu - the epicentres of the "huge swaths of
land" subject to the "ferociousscorched-earth policy" claimed
by Dr Reeves. Mr Oxlee stated: "there is no evidence of appreciable
human migration from any of the seven sites examined." (5)
To the contrary, he further stated that analysis revealed
that "once the sites were developed, then people did come
into the area, and in fact it looked as if people developed
around the oil sites rather than going away from it." (6)
He further stated that he is prepared to stand by his conclusions
in court, if needed.
It should be noted that Mr Oxlee retired from the Royal Air
Force with the rank of Group Captain (in American terms a
full Colonel). He is the former head of the United Kingdom
Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre. He is the author
of 'Aerospace Reconnaissance', (published by Brasseys in 1997).
Mr Oxlee is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and
the Expert Witness Institute.
It is inconceivable that massive "scorched earth" displacement
on the scale repeatedly claimed by Reeves would not have been
immediately noticeable in the satellite pictures studied.
When confronted with the overwhelming scientific evidence
further destroying whatever credibility the anti-Sudanese
lobby projected him as having had, Dr Reeves limply suggested
that Talisman may have carefully selected only favourable
satellite pictures: "Are they presenting it all? Are there
competing sets of images?" (7) Mr Oxlee stated that the satellite
photographs examined "are genuine pictures. Having looked
at hundreds of thousands of satellite pictures, there's no
way these pictures have been doctored. Absolutely none. We
check these things out."
The satellite analysis confirms on-site reporting from one
of the main oil areas in Sudan in question. Claudia Cattaneo,
of the Canadian Financial Post, a Canadian newspaper hostile
to the involvement of the Canadian Talisman oil company in
Sudan, reported:
"[A]t Heglig, the site of Talisman's oil major oilfields and
processing facilities, there is no evidence of population
displacement. Military presence is low key. Children are playing
and going to school near the oil wells. Western and Sudanese
workers say thousands of nomads are coming here to look for
work, for medical assistance...or for education." (8)
It would appear from detailed satellite picture analysis and
first-hand reporting that that far from witnessing the systematic
displacement of civilians, southern civilians seem to be being
drawn towards the oil concessions. Has Dr Reeves no self-respect?
How much more of a battering does Dr Reeves' reputation need
to take before he concedes that he has been misled, and in
turn has himself misled others, on this issue. He continues
to discredit not only himself but Smith College which affords
him the opportunity to make such claims.
Notes
1 'Investors Fuel Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan', 'The Catholic
New Times', Toronto, 31 October 1999.
2 Eric Reeves, 'Silence on Sudan', 'The Chicago Tribune',
29 July 1999.
3 'The Return of the "Ugly American": Eric Reeves and Sudan',
European-Sudanese Public Affairs Council, London, November
2000.
4 'Talisman Fights Back on Sudan Displacement Claims Releases
Aerial Images', 'The Financial Post', (Canada), 19 April 2001.
5 'Talisman Energy Says Study Disproves Sudan Allegations',
Dow Jones Newswire, 18 April 2001.
6 'Talisman Fights Back on Sudan Displacement Claims Releases
Aerial Images', The Financial Post, (Canada), 19 April 2001.
7 'Talisman Fights Back on Sudan Displacement Claims Releases
Aerial Images', The Financial Post, (Canada), 19 April 2001.
8 'Analysts Upbeat About Talisman's Sudan Role', The Financial
Post, 17 November 1999.
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