A coalition of indigenous and civil-society groups in West Kalimantan has filed a class-action suit against President Prabowo Subianto and other officials, accusing them of negligence over recurring forest and land fires. The case was registered in Pontianak with the first hearing set for October 7. Indonesia is facing its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with authorities warning the fires could persist until November. A similar 2016 lawsuit initially succeeded in a district court but was later overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022.
Indigenous and Civil Groups File Class Action Against President Prabowo Over West Kalimantan Wildfires
A staff member of the Regional Disaster Agency (BPBD) sprays water to extinguish a fire in a peatland area burnt by wildfires, in Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, September 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
A coalition of indigenous and civil-society organisations in West Kalimantan has filed a class-action lawsuit naming President Prabowo Subianto and other officials, alleging negligence in the handling of recurring forest and land fires in the province, the plaintiffs' lawyer told Reuters on Saturday.
Volunteers stand in a peatland area burnt by wildfires, in Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, September 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
Case Details
The petition was lodged at the Pontianak district court in West Kalimantan; the first hearing is scheduled for October 7, according to the court filing. Plaintiffs say the suit responds to long-standing public concerns about the government's failure to prevent and combat fires that return each dry season.
Staff members of the Regional Disaster Agency (BPBD) monitor a fire in a peatland area burnt by wildfires, in Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, September 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
The filing lists the plaintiffs as the West Kalimantan chapter of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, the West Kalimantan branch of Catholic Youth, Perkumpulan Laman Punyung Indonesia, and an individual, Sisilius Rami.
Context
Indonesia is confronting its most intense wildfires in 11 years, and officials have warned the blazes could continue until November. The presidential office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a similar case stemming from fires in 2015, seven residents initially won at a district court in 2016, but the ruling was overturned after the Supreme Court granted the government's petition for judicial review in 2022, according to media reports.
(Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by Sam Holmes)
Help us improve.
