Indonesian activists challenge government response to fires

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indigenous and civil-society groups in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province have filed a class-action lawsuit against President Prabowo Subianto and other government authorities over their handling of recurring forest and land fires.

The case was registered at the Pontianak court in West Kalimantan, according to court documents. The first hearing has been scheduled for October 7.

Glorio Sanen, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs, said on September 19 that the lawsuit was filed because of concerns about the government’s failure to prevent and control forest and land fires that return every year.

“This lawsuit was filed in response to the West Kalimantan public’s concerns over the government’s negligence and failure to prevent and tackle forest and land fires that recur every year,” Sanen told Reuters on September 19.

The lawsuit names the West Kalimantan chapter of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, the West Kalimantan branch of Catholic Youth, Perkumpulan Laman Punyung Indonesia, and an individual plaintiff, Sisilius Rami.

The groups are seeking to hold the authorities responsible for their response to the fires, which have become a recurring problem in the region. The lawsuit comes as Indonesia is facing its most severe wildfires in 11 years.

The Indonesian government has warned that the fires could continue until November this year. The country regularly faces forest and land fires, particularly during dry periods, with smoke and haze affecting communities and the environment.

The case also follows an earlier legal challenge over Indonesia’s handling of forest fires.

In 2016, seven Indonesian residents filed a lawsuit against then-President Joko Widodo, several cabinet ministers, and local governments. The case was linked to the authorities’ handling of the major forest fires that affected Indonesia in 2015.

The residents initially won their case at the district court. However, the Supreme Court later overturned the decision after accepting the government’s request for judicial review in 2022, according to media reports.

The latest lawsuit therefore brings renewed legal pressure on the Indonesian government over its response to forest and land fires. The West Kalimantan case is due to begin with its first hearing on October 7.

As of September 19, the presidential office had not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Source – Indonesia News