Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for stricter regulations and sanctions against slash and burn land clearances, branding the practice “ecological terrorism”, as the country struggles to contain wildfires that have been raging for weeks.
Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with “super El Nino” weather conditions parching forests and fields. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra have been worst hit, while hazardous haze has caused a spike in respiratory illnesses. Transboundary pollution has also led to unhealthy air conditions in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.
Subianto, in a meeting with his Cabinet, said there would be zero tolerance for people or corporations found responsible for starting wildfires. “I have asked the State Secretary and the Minister of Law to look into this further, specifically regarding legal sanctions,” he said.
“And perhaps we should ask the House of Representatives to stiffen the laws, classifying this as ‘ecological terrorism.’ This is a very serious matter,” Subianto added, according to a palace statement issued late on Wednesday (16th September).
Subianto also instructed regional governments to immediately abolish exemptions that allow smallholders to clear small plots of land using fire, a longstanding loophole that has complicated enforcement efforts in rural areas. Prabowo also called for police to launch criminal investigations against corporations found to be violating fire safeguards.
On Thursday (17th September), Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia had offered Indonesia a Bombardier aircraft, helicopters, and personnel to help tackle the fires. He made the offer while meeting Indonesia’s vice president in Jakarta, state news agency Bernama reported.
Indonesia has deployed more than 50 aircraft for water bombing and cloud seeding operations to help contain the fires. Japan also joined Indonesia’s water bombing efforts on Wednesday and Thursday, after sending three CH-47 Chinook helicopters the previous week. Poor flight conditions had delayed their participation.
Following Subianto’s remarks, Indonesian police official Mohammad Irhamni told reporters on Thursday that police had launched 219 criminal investigations linked to the fires, with 162 people named as suspects so far. He added that police were also investigating 95 companies, though he did not disclose how many were suspected of criminal offences.
“We in law enforcement are striving to identify the perpetrators of the burning, whether individuals or corporations, as this criminal act has already occurred and caused harm to the public,” Irhamni said.
From January – July this year, fires raged across 202,000 hectares (almost 500,000 acres) of land, government data showed. Environmental group YKAN estimated that fires damaged another 600,000 hectares (1.4 million acres) in August.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni warned that the wildfires could last until early November, with the rainy season expected to arrive later than previously estimated. The forestry ministry’s latest assessment indicates that sustained efforts will be required in the coming weeks until the delayed rains arrive.
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