MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Consumer protection organisation Lembaga Advokasi Perlindungan Konsumen (LAPK) has strongly criticised what it considers the government's continued reactive approach to the threat of forest and land fires and recurring smoke pollution. The organisation stressed that the El Niño weather phenomenon and prolonged dry spells must not be used to justify inadequate prevention, weak monitoring or poor enforcement of environmental law.
According to LAPK, forest and land fires are not merely natural disasters. They also represent environmental crimes and a failure of public services when the state does not prevent environmental damage or protect the public from its consequences. When fires recur, communities are left to bear the health risks, economic losses, disruption to education and declining quality of life caused by air pollution.
Muhammad Zein Azhary Wajdi Lubis, S.H., M.Kn., LAPK's secretary, said the government must treat warnings from experts about El Niño as a reason to strengthen disaster preparedness well in advance, before fires spread. The state must not wait until forests are ablaze and clouds of smoke threaten people's lives before taking action.
"This approach risks allowing hundreds of thousands to millions of hectares of natural forests and peatlands to disappear during every major forest and land fire cycle. This weakens tropical forest landscapes, which serve as a protective barrier for the national climate. At the same time, the enormous financial losses, rising medical treatment costs and long-term health consequences are ultimately imposed on the public as users of public services," he said.
Forest and Land Fires Expose Failures in Prevention
Zein particularly criticised the practice of clearing land through burning, also known as slash and burn, and draining peatlands through canal construction. Both practices can substantially increase the risk of fires. In LAPK's view, they reveal an imbalance in the distribution of responsibility: while companies pursue cost efficiency, the public and the state are left to bear the consequences of environmental destruction.
El Niño and prolonged dry spells can significantly worsen conditions in areas already vulnerable to fires. High temperatures and strong winds accelerate the spread of flames. Dried-out peat soils are particularly susceptible to ignition and can retain smouldering hotspots beneath the surface for extended periods.
These conditions make firefighting increasingly difficult. Fires burning deep within peat layers cannot always be extinguished through aerial firefighting operations alone. LAPK therefore stressed that prevention must address the underlying causes. Measures should include rigorous monitoring of concession areas, forest protection, controls on peatland drainage and criminal prosecution for environmental offences.
Zein said the government must fundamentally change its approach, moving away from reactive responses towards preventive action. Mapping high-risk areas, monitoring commercial activities, ensuring firefighting teams are ready for deployment and managing water levels in peatlands must all be addressed before fires break out. Without such measures, warnings about extreme weather conditions amount to little more than information that is not followed by adequate protective action.
LAPK also warned that advising the public to wear masks or limit outdoor activities would not be enough to resolve the problem. The government must control the sources of air pollution, strengthen monitoring and consistently penalise proven violations.
TACKLE FOREST AND LAND FIRES THROUGH EARLY ACTION AGAINST EL NIÑO: Muhammad Zein Azhary Wajdi Lubis, secretary of Lembaga Advokasi Perlindungan Konsumen, stresses that the threat posed by El Niño must be addressed early through fire prevention measures, monitoring of concession areas and protection of peatlands. (PHOTO: Doc. LAPK)
Right to Clean Air and a Healthy Environment at Risk
LAPK regards failures to prevent forest and land fires as an issue involving the protection of the public's fundamental rights. Zein referred to Article 28H(1) of Indonesia's 1945 Constitution and Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management. Both provide important legal foundations for protecting the right to a good and healthy environment.
Children are among the groups most vulnerable when smoke engulfs residential areas. Fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and increase the risk of adverse health effects. Air pollution can also force schools to adjust lessons or suspend face-to-face teaching when air quality poses a danger.
"From the perspective of the rights of users of public services, failure to prevent the loss of forest areas clearly constitutes a violation of the constitutional guarantee under Article 28H(1) of the 1945 Constitution, as well as Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management. The consequences for children, as a particularly vulnerable group, are especially concerning. Exposure to PM2.5 fine particles can cause lasting harm to the respiratory system and cognitive development, while school closures can also deprive children of their right to education. Allowing this situation to continue violates the principle of intergenerational equity, because the health and future of coming generations are being sacrificed as a result of present failures in enforcement," Zein said.
Beyond the dangers to human health, forest and land fires destroy wildlife habitats and disrupt ecological balance. LAPK highlighted the particular threats facing orangutans (Pongo), proboscis monkeys, tigers and Sumatran elephants. As forest areas disappear and wildlife corridors are disrupted, these animals face increasingly serious risks.
When fires destroy their habitats, wild animals lose both their shelter and food sources. Even those that manage to escape may subsequently face starvation. If they enter settlements or agricultural areas in search of food, conflicts with humans may also become more frequent. Ecological damage can continue long after the fire season ends, as forests and peatlands take considerable time to recover.
LAPK maintains that environmental protection must extend beyond extinguishing flames. The government must incorporate wildlife rescue, habitat restoration and the regeneration of damaged ecosystems into its strategy for tackling forest and land fires.
PUBLISH REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY DATA: Muhammad Zein Azhary Wajdi Lubis, secretary of Lembaga Advokasi Perlindungan Konsumen, is calling on the government to provide transparent, up-to-date air quality data, ensure medical care for affected residents and protect wildlife whose habitats are destroyed by forest and land fires. (PHOTO: PHOTO: Doc. LAPK)
LAPK Demands Accountability from Government and Companies
To bring recurring fire cycles to an end, LAPK is calling for the consistent and uncompromising enforcement of environmental law against companies whose responsibility for environmental damage has been established. Zein specifically referred to the principle of strict liability, or liability without the need to prove fault, which is provided for under Article 88 of Law No. 32 of 2009.
LAPK is urging the government to review water management in peatlands, monitor compliance with permit conditions by concession holders and revoke the operating permits of companies proven to have violated environmental regulations, in accordance with the applicable legal procedures. Monitoring must also be strengthened so that the relevant authorities can identify potential fire hotspots early and take action before flames spread.
Alongside consistent law enforcement, LAPK is calling for transparent, real-time information on fire risk maps and the Air Pollution Standard Index (Indeks Standar Pencemar Udara, ISPU). The public needs timely and reliable data to take appropriate measures to protect their health. This is particularly important for children, older people and those at increased risk of health complications.
"The government must also make fire risk maps and real-time Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) data transparently available so that the public has reliable information to protect itself. The education and healthcare sectors must be prepared proactively. This includes adjusting lessons based on measured air quality data and providing free healthcare services for affected residents. At the same time, the government must establish a rapid-response team to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals displaced from their habitats by fires," Zein added.
LAPK is also calling on the government to provide medical care for affected residents and determine changes to school operations according to measured air quality levels. Schools, healthcare facilities and emergency services need clear preparedness and response plans to protect the public before smoke pollution becomes more severe.
For LAPK, success in tackling forest and land fires cannot be measured solely by the number of fires extinguished. Equally important is whether the government can prevent fires, ensure companies comply with environmental requirements, provide transparent information to the public, protect public health and restore damaged ecosystems.
LAPK stressed that El Niño and the dry season are not unforeseeable events that justify delayed responses or an abandonment of state responsibility year after year. The government must stop relying on basic behavioural advice to the public and instead address the root causes of the problem through effective monitoring and consistent enforcement of environmental law.
"If the government continues to allow millions of hectares of forest to disappear while the public suffers the consequences of inadequate oversight, LAPK, together with civil society coalitions, is prepared to pursue legal action and initiate a class action to defend citizens' constitutional rights to clean air and the preservation of ecosystems," Zein concluded.
LAPK reiterated that recurring forest and land fires must prompt a comprehensive review of the responsibilities of both the government and companies in protecting the environment. Without consistent prevention, effective monitoring and responsive public services, communities will continue to bear the consequences of recurring smoke crises. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala