The Swedish oil company Lundin has been involved in crimes against humanity in Sudan, says a report released by the European Coalition on Oil (ECOS) on Tuesday.

The report calls on the investigation of the role of Swedish-led Lundin Consortium by its stakeholder countries of Sweden, Malaysia and Austria.

ECOS points out that Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt was on Lundin's board of directors until 2006. Bildt, internationally known for his role as a mediator in the Balkan conflict, harshly criticised Israel for its attack on the Gaza strip flotilla last Monday.

In 1997, the Lundin Consortium signed a contract with the Sudanese government to exploit oil in an area that was at that time not under government control. Between 1997 and 2003, the Sudanese government took control over the oil fields by unleashing a military campaign, resulting in thousands of deaths and the violent displacement of almost two hundred people, the ECOS report said.

ECOS accuses Lundin of continuing cooperation with the Sudanese government despite its awareness of the use of extreme violence. The Dutch newspaper Trouw interviewed a Lundin employee that confirmed the cooperation between the company and government militias.