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Indonesia faces lawsuit over gross negligence in wildfire and haze crisis
Indonesia is facing intense wildfires and hazardous haze across Borneo and Sumatra, driven by an El Niño-induced drought. The Ministry of Forestry reported 1,176 high-confidence hotspots, with air quality reaching dangerous levels in several provinces, including Central and West Kalimantan. The smoke has caused respiratory illnesses, school closures, and flight disruptions, with the haze spreading to Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei.
In response to the crisis, indigenous and civil society groups have filed a class-action lawsuit in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The suit accuses the Indonesian government, including President Prabowo Subianto, of “gross negligence” in failing to prevent and manage the recurring forest and land fires. The plaintiffs are seeking a national disaster declaration and for the government to cover medical costs for affected residents.
The first court hearing was adjourned until October 21 after none of the ten named defendants, including central government officials, appeared in court. While some observers suggested the thick haze might have prevented officials from landing in Pontianak, plaintiffs expressed disappointment, viewing the absence as a failure of accountability.
Entities
Borneo · Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago · Ministry of Forestry · Pontianak · Prabowo Subianto · West Kalimantan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The lawsuit requests the government to cover medical expenses for affected residents. reddot.my · www.theguardian.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Indonesian government is accused of gross negligence in handling forest and land fires. reddot.my · srnnews.com · www.beritaharian.sg · www.theguardian.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 61 aircraft have been deployed to support firefighting operations. www.malay.news
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 1,176 high-confidence hotspots were detected across Indonesia as of Wednesday night. www.malay.news
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Air quality reached unhealthy to hazardous levels in Central Kalimantan, parts of West and South Kalimantan, South Sumatra, and Jambi. www.malay.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] The first hearing in Pontianak was adjourned until October 21 due to the absence of government defendants. srnnews.com · www.beritaharian.sg · www.theguardian.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The El Niño weather pattern has aggravated the wildfires by creating unusually dry conditions. srnnews.com · www.theguardian.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The lawsuit seeks for the government to declare a national disaster state. reddot.my · srnnews.com