Key facts
- Indigenous and civil-society groups in Indonesia's West Kalimantan have sued President Prabowo Subianto over the government's handling of forest fires.
- The lawsuit was filed due to public concern over alleged government negligence in preventing and tackling recurring forest and land fires.
- The case was registered at the Pontianak court, with the first hearing set for October 7.
- Indonesia is currently facing its most severe wildfires in 11 years.
- The fires are predicted to continue until November.
A group of indigenous and civil-society organizations in Indonesia's West Kalimantan has filed a class-action lawsuit against President Prabowo Subianto and other authorities regarding their response to forest fires. The lawsuit, registered at the Pontianak court with a hearing scheduled for October 7, stems from public concern over the government's alleged failure to prevent and combat the recurring fires.
According to the plaintiffs' lawyer, Glorio Sanen, the suit addresses the government's negligence. Indonesia is currently grappling with its most severe wildfires in 11 years, and authorities have warned that the fires could persist until November.
This legal action echoes a similar lawsuit filed in 2016 against then-President Joko Widodo and various government officials over the 2015 forest fires. While the initial district court ruling favored the plaintiffs, the Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2022 following a judicial review initiated by the government.