Indonesia: Over 200 Suspects in Forest Fires, How About Corporate Accountability?

Forest and land fires (karhutla) continue to shroud various regions in Indonesia, including Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Papua, causing widespread haze. As of August 2026, forest and land fires have burned over 202,000 hectares across 340 districts in 36 provinces, according to data from the Ministry of Forestry. By early September, hundreds of individuals have been named suspects in these fires, raising questions about the enforcement of legal measures against corporations involved. The Indonesian National Police (Polri) stated that there are 200 police reports concerning karhutla cases in various regions. Of these, 138 individuals have been designated as suspects, with the remainder undergoing investigation. "We have identified 138 suspects who acted intentionally or through negligence. There are 119 intentional cases and 19 due to negligence. This number is likely to increase," said Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo during a press conference on September 7, 2026, as quoted by Tempo. He added that in addition to handling individual cases, Polri is investigating the alleged involvement of eight corporations in the karhutla incidents. Tempo also reported that the police are coordinating with the Forestry Service and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to follow up on these findings. Previously, Kombes Pol. Pipit Subiyanto, Head of Sub-Directorate III of the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri), stated that law enforcement is guided by various laws, including the Forestry Law, the Law on Protection and Management of the Environment (PPLH), the Plantation Law, the Law on Conservation of Natural Resources (KSDA), and the Criminal Code. "They caused these fires, either by directly setting them, accidentally through the fires they used, or with motives such as land clearing," he said during a press conference on the development of karhutla handling on Friday, (4/9/26) in Jakarta. Brigjen Pol Mohammad Irhamni, Director of Special Criminal Investigation at Bareskrim Polri, indicated that the suspects allegedly set fire to the land intentionally to reduce operational costs for land clearing. This practice is believed to be a common method used to expedite and reduce the expense of preparing land for plantations and other agricultural purposes, particularly in areas where large-scale development is underway. However, this method has consistently led to extensive air pollution and severe damage to ecosystems. This article was originally published on Mongabay Indonesia