Indonesian anger builds over wildfires, toxic haze
Protesters across multiple Indonesian cities have demonstrated against the government's handling of severe wildfires and toxic haze that have sickened thousands. Citizens expressed frustration over economic hardship and perceived government ineptitude on the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto's administration.
Why it matters
Environmental disasters paired with public governance failures can destabilize regional politics and severely impact public health across Southeast Asia.
Weeks of haze have left thousands unwell in Indonesia.
A demonstrator hurls a box of mineral water toward riot police as he and others protest on the second anniversary of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's administration on the steps of the Regional Legislative Council building in Yogyakarta on Oct 20, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Devi Rahman)
JAKARTA: Indonesians protested in several cities on Tuesday (Oct 20), raging against wildfires and a toxic haze that has made thousands unwell for weeks on end in a crisis that has engulfed Southeast Asia.
Demonstrations were called by students to display dissatisfaction with the government of President Prabowo Subianto, which marked its second year on Tuesday .
They railed against perceived ineptitude and corruption during protests in the capital Jakarta, but also in Bandung and Yogyakarta elsewhere on Java island, as well as Pekanbaru in Sumatra and Makassar in South Sulawesi.
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