U.S.-based oil and gas company Unocal says it has finalized a settlement with a group of Burmese villagers who accuse the company of indirect involvement in human rights abuses.
The amount of Monday's settlement was not disclosed, but Unocal said it will help fund programs to improve living conditions, health care, and education for the people living in the region near the Yadana pipeline, which stretches from Burma to Thailand.
The plaintiffs say Unocal refused to acknowledge that the Burmese government used slave labor to build the natural gas pipeline for Unocal during the 1990s.
Villagers say Burmese soldiers also raped and tortured their families. Unocal has denied any involvement in human rights abuses.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
