West Kalimantan residents file class-action lawsuit over forest fires

A coalition of civil society groups in West Kalimantan has filed a class-action lawsuit at the Pontianak District Court regarding ongoing forest and land fires and the resulting prolonged haze. The plaintiffs include the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples (AMAN) West Kalimantan, West Kalimantan Catholic Youth, the Laman Punyung Indonesia Association, and individual Sisilius Rami.

The lawsuit names several high-level defendants, including the President, Vice President, the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, the National Police Chief, and the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), as well as the Governor of West Kalimantan and the Regional Police Chief.

The plaintiffs are seeking a judicial declaration that the fires and haze constitute a national disaster. They are also requesting that the Minister of Finance immediately disburse National Disaster Emergency Budget funds from state reserves to the West Kalimantan provincial and local governments. These funds are intended for emergency medical care, weather modification, peatland fire suppression, and logistical aid for residents affected by the disruption to health, education, and regional transportation.