San Francisco Frontiers - 'Public health crisis': Indonesians seek fire relief from state

They spoke out as a court in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, began hearing arguments into the admissibility of a case brought against the state by residents in the province of nearly six million people.

"The issue... is not merely about burning forests and land, it is also closely tied to public health, air quality, economic activity, education and the safety of residents," resident Achmad Mundzirin told AFP in Pontianak.

"This lawsuit serves as a means to demand that the government be held accountable for its handling of forest and land fires," the 36-year-old said.

Lawyers have filed a class action case claiming "negligence, omission and failure" on the part of the government that has resulted in "a massive public health crisis" in West Kalimantan.

It singles out President Prabowo Subianto and 26 officials from the national, provincial and local government, as well as police and emergency services.

Glorio Sanen, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told reporters on Wednesday the community was suffering.

"The president must directly lead the handling of this smoke disaster so that our aspirations, our hope for fresh air, blue skies and sunshine can return here in West Kalimantan," he said.

The government has deployed firefighters assisted by volunteers across affected areas, and used cloud-seeding and water-bombing with mixed success.

- 'Environmental struggle' -

Experts say Indonesia's wildfires can be blamed in large part on slash-and-burn land-clearing practices that result in the destruction of fire-resistant forest cover and drained peatlands.

This year, the blazes have been intensified by a severe drought fuelled by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

The plaintiffs insist the government could have done more in preparation -- drilling more borewells and distributing sufficient firefighting equipment.

They want the government to declare a national emergency to release resources and are suing for free health care and compensation for the families of people who died of fire-related respiratory ailments.

Rokman Torang, a lawyer for the state, insisted on Wednesday that the national and provincial governments "have already responded to this haze issue".

Prabowo said Wednesday that "many corporations bear responsibility" for the fire and haze crisis, and vowed a thorough investigation.

For Pontianak resident Andi Fachrizal, 54, the court case held "important meaning for the environmental struggle".

"This legal process is a moment to reaffirm that the public's right to a good and healthy environment is not merely a norm enshrined in laws and regulations, but a right that must be protected and fulfilled by the state," he told AFP.

K.Gray--SFF