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The Guardian
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Oliver Holmes in Bangkok and agencies
Indigenous groups and civil society organizations in Borneo have filed a class action lawsuit against the Indonesian government, accusing it of “gross negligence” over wildfires that caused widespread haze across Southeast Asia. The defendants include President Prabowo Subianto and the governor of West Kalimantan; the case seeks recovery measures including covering healthcare costs for affected residents. Held in Pontianak on Wednesday, the court adjourned until October 21 due to the absence of government officials who did not attend, citing poor air quality as a reason. The lawsuit highlights annual wildfires exacerbated by El Niño weather conditions this year, leading to environmental and health crises affecting multiple countries.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In West Kalimantan, residents and civil society organizations have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Indonesian government over its handling of widespread wildfires that have caused severe air pollution. The haze has led to more than 175,000 acute respiratory infections nationwide, with over 116,000 cases in West Kalimantan alone and nearly 28,000 patients under five years old. Since the start of the year, 48,000 hectares (or 185 square miles) of land have burned, affecting areas like Pontianak, the provincial capital. The plaintiffs argue that the government's failure to prepare for this dry season and address the fires through mitigation efforts constitutes gross negligence. Indigenous people, religious youth groups, and a Dayak ethnic group are among the plaintiffs seeking comprehensive recovery measures including covering healthcare costs for residents. However, none of the defendants attended the first court hearing on 21 October, which has been adjourned until further notice.
Written for “Indonesian Haze Lawsuit” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning: leans left for article 64679 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-08
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.
asserted
that → accuse → illnesses
The lawsuit, filed by indigenous and civil society groups in the Indonesian part of Borneo, named President Prabowo Subianto and the governor of West Kalimantan among 10 defendants.
asserted
lawsuit → file → defendants
The case seeks comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation measures that would include covering the healthcare costs of residents.
asserted
that → seek → residents
None of those named in the lawsuit attended the opening day of court in West Kalimantan’s provincial capital Pontianak on Wednesday, leading judges to adjourn the hearing until 21 October.
asserted
None → name → October
“We feel sad and regretful about their absence …
asserted
We → feel → absence
But on the other hand, we also understand that perhaps this haze condition caused them to be unable to land in Pontianak,” the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Glorio Sanen, told reporters.
asserted
lawyer → understand → reporters
Sanen said the case was “a step to address the problem” of wildfires that flare up annually in Indonesia, where they are often lit as a cheap way to clear land for oil palm planting.
asserted
they → say → planting
Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, has been accused of not doing enough to stop the so-called “slash and burn” land clearances, although the government has vowed a crackdown and deployed the military to fight the fires.
asserted
government → accuse → fires
The blazes hit a crisis point this year due to an unusually intense El Niño weather phenomenon, which has created drier-than-usual conditions, sending a putrid smog to Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, and even the Philippines.
asserted
which → hit → Malaysia
The transboundary haze has angered Indonesia’s neighbours.
asserted
haze → anger → neighbours
Schools in the Malaysian state of Johor, just north of Singapore, were to be closed on Thursday and Friday due to deteriorating air quality, local authorities said.
asserted
authorities → close → quality
The four plaintiffs in the West Kalimantan lawsuit, which was filed last month, include a chapter of Indigenous NGO AMAN and the local branch of Catholic Youth.
asserted
which → file → Youth
Yakobus Kumis, a plaintiff representing a Dayak ethnic group, indigenous to the island of Borneo, expressed disappointment that government representatives did not attend this week’s hearing, saying it was a “way of the central government teaching the people that violating the law is OK.”
asserted
violating → represent → law
He said the government ignored warning signs ahead of the fires breaking out, and called for the smoke crisis to be classified as a national disaster.
asserted
crisis → say → disaster
A similar lawsuit filed last year at a court in South Sumatra was dismissed.
asserted
lawsuit → file → Sumatra
The presidential office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
asserted
office → respond → comment
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
asserted
Presse → contribute → report
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