Indonesian NGOs sue government over wildfire haze, allege gross negligence

Indigenous and civil society groups in Indonesian Borneo filed a class action lawsuit against President Prabowo Subianto and the West Kalimantan governor, among 10 defendants, accusing the government of gross negligence in managing annual fires that have blanketed Southeast Asia in toxic haze, closed schools, and increased respiratory illnesses. The suit seeks comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation, marking a legal escalation in the recurring transboundary haze crisis. The outcome is uncertain, but the case could pressure Jakarta to enforce fire prevention and land-clearing regulations more strictly.