Indigenous and civil society groups sue Indonesian government over Kalimantan wildfires

A coalition of indigenous and civil society organizations in West Kalimantan has filed a class-action lawsuit against the Indonesian government, accusing it of deliberate negligence in failing to prevent and manage wildfires that have burned nearly 900,000 hectares across the country since January.

The suit, filed September 17 at the Pontianak District Court, names President Prabowo Subianto, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the national police chief, the disaster management agency head, and several ministers and provincial officials. The plaintiffs include the West Kalimantan chapter of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, environmental group Laman Puyung Indonesia, and West Kalimantan Catholic Youth. They seek a court order forcing the government to declare a national disaster, which would unlock greater financial assistance.

The plaintiffs' lawyer, Glorio Sanen, said there has been no sufficient coordination between central government, ministries, and local administrations in responding to the fires. The haze has spread to Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines, with over 113,000 people reported suffering respiratory illnesses as of September 9.

Nusantara Atlas, which tracks regional fires, says cumulative hotspot activity this year is above every previous year at the same point in the season, with burning typically peaking in September and October. The initial hearing is set for October 7.