The increasing number of forest and land fires across various regions of Indonesia, which have heightened concerns over smoke pollution and public health, has prompted calls for the government to declare a state of ‘national disaster’.
Among those calling for such a declaration is the National Conscience Movement (Gerakan Nurani Bangsa, or GNB), which includes several national figures, including Nyai Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, K.H. Mustofa Bisri (or Gus Mus), Franz Magnis-Suseno, M. Quraish Shihab, and Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo.
In a statement issued on the evening of Tuesday, 13th of October, GNB assessed that declaring a ‘national disaster’ status would be necessary to ensure a more integrated approach to tackling forest and land fires, while also accelerating the fulfilment of the basic rights of affected communities in accordance with Law Number 24 of 2007 concerning Disaster Management.
Furthermore, GNB urged the Indonesian government to improve public communication and refrain from attributing the situation solely to natural factors. Large-scale land clearing through burning must be a key focus of efforts to prevent forest and land fires. GNB also called on the government to welcome assistance from friendly nations and international organisations, maintain good relations with neighbouring countries affected by the haze, and strictly enforce the ban on using fire for large-scale land clearing.
“The wellbeing and protection of citizens must serve as both the foundation and the primary focus in addressing the forest and land fires occurring across various regions of Indonesia,” GNB stated in a written statement.
Sharing similar concerns, Gadjah Mada University environmental law expert Wahyu Yun Santoso has criticised the government’s decision not to declare a ‘national disaster’ status in response to forest and land fires, despite the worsening situation. According to Santoso, the reluctance to declare a ‘national disaster’ status also reveals the government’s political fear of admitting its incapacity on the international stage. The government is now perceived as caring more about diplomatic prestige than saving the lives of citizens besieged by smoke, which has even reached neighbouring countries.
“This is no longer just a case of flawed political communication; it is amoral political communication,” he remarked to the press on Wednesday, 14th of October.
Between the 11th of August and the 9th of October, a total of 1,673 flights were recorded as having been affected by smoke and haze resulting from forest and land fires, while Malaysia reported unhealthy air quality in dozens of areas. Sumatra and Kalimantan emerged as the regions with the most extensive fires, with the number of hotspots rising from 437 on the 9th of October to 793 on the 10th of October.
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