Police crack down on land burning in Kalimantan
Police have named 72 suspects in their crackdown on deliberate land burning after President Prabowo Subianto over the weekend ordered a rapid response to land fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra.
The Jakarta Post reports that the Indonesian police have launched a crackdown on deliberate land burning in Kalimantan and Sumatra, naming 72 suspects in their investigation. President Prabowo Subianto ordered a rapid response to land fires in the region over the weekend, prompting the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) to investigate evidence suggesting the fires were set intentionally.
The largest number of suspects was recorded in Riau, with 35 people named after investigating fires among over 1,200 detected hot spots. South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan followed with 17 and 11 suspects, respectively. The police did not reveal their identities, but Bareskrim special crimes director Brig. Gen. Mohammad Irhamni stated that the motive was clearly land clearing.
The practice of burning land before oil palm cultivation, which contributes to recurring fires and haze during Indonesia’s dry season, was indicated by seized evidence including matches and oil palm seedlings. The crackdown on land burning practices comes amid worsening fires across Kalimantan, affecting an estimated 38,310 hectares in West Kalimantan, 7,634 ha in Central Kalimantan and 8,620 ha in South Kalimantan.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
