Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian government will coordinate, through the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra and the Ministry of State Secretary, to response a lawsuit over forest fires and haze in West Kalimantan.
"I will coordinate on that," Minister Mahendra told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday.
The government would appoint lawyers to respond if the case proceeded in court, he added.
A lawsuit was filed by four civil society and indigenous groups, including representatives of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) and the local Catholic Youth organization.
Ten parties are named as defendants, including President Prabowo Subianto, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, several ministers, the National Police chief, and the governor of West Kalimantan.
The plaintiffs are seeking comprehensive environmental restoration, stronger fire prevention and response measures, and reimbursement of health care costs for residents affected by the haze.
The first hearing at Pontianak District Court on October 7 was adjourned until October 21 because most defendants were absent.
Related news: Indonesia complies with ASEAN wildfire reporting protocols: FM Nasir
Separately, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said President Prabowo Subianto had approved offers of assistance from neighboring countries to fight forest and land fires in several parts of Indonesia.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is discussing operational arrangements for the assistance at the technical level.
"It has been discussed and is being processed. The president has also approved it," Nasir said after a closed-door meeting with parliament’s Commission I in Jakarta on Thursday (Oct 15).
Nasir said Prabowo was closely monitoring the fires because they had severely affected communities across Indonesia and the wider region.
As of Tuesday (Oct 13), Indonesia had deployed 60,177 personnel, including firefighters, military and police officers, Forestry Ministry staff, regional forestry officials, and volunteers.
Helicopters and aircraft have also been deployed for water-bombing operations and weather modification.
Related news: ISWAMI Malaysia urges factual reporting on transboundary haze
Translator: Agatha OV, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fransiska Ninditya
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