JAKARTA: A wave of protests has erupted across Sumatra as frustration grows over months of wildfires and choking haze that have disrupted daily life and harmed people’s health.
In Palembang, South Sumatra, dozens of students staged a protest outside the South Sumatra Police headquarters on Tuesday, demanding accountability from corporations allegedly involved in forest and land fires. The group allegedly assaulted police and journalists covering the demonstration.
Police said two journalists from local media outlets, six students and a police officer were injured in the incident.
Two people have been arrested in connection with the assault, South Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Rony Samtana said on Tuesday.
“The suspects were carrying two sharp weapons when they were detained. We will thoroughly investigate this case in accordance with the National Police chief’s instructions,” Rony said, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
The protest followed a similar demonstration on Oct 5, when hundreds of students gathered outside the South Sumatra governor’s office to demand stronger fire prevention measures, greater transparency in wildfire management spending and action against companies allegedly involved in the fires.
In Riau province, hundreds of students staged a protest outside the governor’s office on Tuesday, demanding stronger action to tackle forest and land fires.
Protest coordinator Kukuh said residents continued to endure haze from recurring fires, urging the government to take decisive steps to prevent them from happening again.
“Almost every year, our people have to breathe smoke from forest and land fires. The government and police must take firm action and arrest those responsible for the fires without discrimination, particularly corporations,” he said, as quoted by Riau Pos.
On Monday, dozens of students in Jambi staged a protest outside the governor’s office, demanding stronger action to tackle forest and land fires and address the worsening haze.
The protesters called for an open audit of the Rp30 billion (US$1.67 billion) allocated by the central government to tackle the fires. They also urged authorities to accelerate recovery efforts, provide healthcare services for residents affected by the haze and strengthen fire prevention measures.
They further demanded action against companies found to have violated regulations on forest and land fires, as well as greater transparency about burned areas within corporate concession zones.
The demonstration followed a protest on Oct 8, when students and other members of the public rallied outside the Jambi provincial legislative council (DPRD), demanding that Governor Al Haris take responsibility for the fires and worsening haze.
The protests came amid public criticism of Al Haris after he recorded himself monitoring the fires from a helicopter, smiling as he described the situation as safe, according to local media reports.
The Oct 8 demonstration turned violent when protesters attempted to force their way through the gates of the provincial legislative council compound, which was guarded by police. Police deployed a water cannon to disperse the crowd, prompting some protesters to throw stones, pieces of wood and bottles, local media reported.
Indonesia is facing a severe forest and land fire season, with Sumatra and Kalimantan among the worst-affected regions.
Nearly 900,000 hectares had burned nationwide by late August, an area roughly four times the size of Tokyo, according to Nusantara Atlas, an independent forest monitoring platform.
Reports of deliberate land clearing by fire and blazes within palm oil, pulpwood, mining and other corporate concessions have added to the crisis. Prolonged drought associated with the El Niño climate pattern has further heightened fire risks.
The fires have disrupted transportation and education across Indonesia, forcing airlines to delay or divert dozens of flights as haze reduces visibility. Authorities in several regions have also closed schools or shifted classes online to limit students’ exposure to smoke.
The Health Ministry recorded 283,270 cases of acute respiratory infections in seven provinces affected by wildfires between Aug 18 and Oct 13, including 63,711 cases among children under five.
In Bangka Belitung Islands, fires destroyed 500 houses last week, while fatal road accidents have also been reported in Lampung amid reduced visibility caused by haze.
The smoke has spread beyond Indonesia to neighbouring Singapore, Malaysia, Timor-Leste and the Philippines, where haze has prompted school closures and financial assistance measures as more residents seek treatment for respiratory problems.
President Prabowo Subianto and dozens of local and central administrations are facing an ongoing lawsuit filed by indigenous and civil society groups in West Kalimantan, which accuse them of negligence for failing to prevent and properly control wildfires that have paralysed parts of the province. Jakarta Post/ANN
