Indonesia accused of ‘gross negligence’ in wildfires lawsuit as haze tests region
Indonesian indigenous and civil society groups have filed a class action lawsuit against the government, alleging gross negligence regarding annual wildfires. The fires have caused widespread toxic haze across Southeast Asia, leading to health crises and school closures.
Why it matters
The case highlights the tension between industrial land clearing for palm oil and the environmental and public health consequences for the region.
Students conduct marching drills amid haze from forest and land fires at the courtyard of the Mujahidin Grand Mosque in Pontianak, West Kalimantan./Getty Images Students conduct marching drills amid haze from forest and land fires at the courtyard of the Mujahidin Grand Mosque in Pontianak, West Kalimantan./Getty Images Indonesia Indonesia accused of ‘gross negligence’ in wildfires lawsuit as haze tests region NGOs in Indonesian Borneo file class action lawsuit calling for government to better manage annual fires and
Prefer the Guardian on Google The Indonesian government has been accused of “gross negligence” in a class action lawsuit over its handling of wildfires that have cloaked large parts of South-east Asia in a toxic haze, shuttered schools and caused a spike in respiratory illnesses.
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