Indonesian anger builds over wildfires, toxic haze
Demonstrators pointed particularly to the government’s inability to put out the fires that have ravaged vast swaths of Borneo and Sumatra since July.
Indonesians are protesting in several cities against wildfires and toxic haze that have plagued the country for weeks, causing illness and economic hardship. The demonstrations, called by students, are demanding stronger government action after marking the second year of President Prabowo Subianto's administration. Protests were held in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Pekanbaru, and Makassar, with one banner reading "If we burn, you burn with us!"
Residents in Palangkaraya, Borneo, expressed despair over the severity of the haze, which has caused businesses to suffer and people to feel beaten down by their deteriorating health. The government deployed over 60,000 firefighters and 49 aircraft to combat the fires, but many efforts have been hampered by the haze itself.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
