Michael Mayiel shows us the blackened ruins of his village. 1,200 Government troops swept through the Bentiu region killing scores of civilians and scorching 6000 homes during a ten day offensive. Spent government machine gun cartridges lie scattered among the ruins. To the people here the reasons for the attack are clear: oil. They say the Government is pursuing a scorched earth policy to clear the oilfields - and those who benefit most are foreign companies. Canadian-led oil consortium Talisman Energy plan to start pumping oil this year. Humanitarian groups are pushing the company to pull out in response to the army brutality. US oil analyst Dennis Bennet is adamant: "Talisman energy is responsible for what is taking Place in Sudan." Talisman executive Jim Buckee defends the company's position; oil wealth will bring "peace and prosperity", he hopes. But for now, the scramble for oil money is just bringing war. Fighting in the oil fields has become so bad that aid workers estimate 150,000 people face starvation. Now a ban is being imposed on aid flights. It could be the last straw in an increasingly desperate situation.

Produced by Urban Jungle Films Ltd.