Indonesia Weighs Neighbor Protests Over Karhutla Haze and Foreign Offers

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the Indonesian government is closely following protests lodged by a number of friendly countries over the cross-border haze caused by forest and land fires, known locally as karhutla. He made the remarks at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday, October 12, 2026, noting that the smoke problem is not confined to Indonesian territory and is also felt by neighboring states. According to Dudung, the government is not ignoring the complaints that have arisen from the haze.

Dudung said President Prabowo Subianto has given the matter significant attention, given the widening impact of the fires and the fact that the smoke reaches neighboring countries. He framed the response as a question of national interest as well as of maintaining good relations with friendly nations. The government, he indicated, recognizes that forest and land fires create cross-border effects that require serious and coordinated handling.

Efforts to put out the fires are not yet complete, partly because many hotspots are located in peatland areas. Unlike mineral soil, dried peat burns easily and allows fire to spread below the surface, where it is not always visible from above, meaning crews need longer timeframes, large volumes of water and repeated monitoring to keep embers from reigniting. Similar challenges are reported in provinces with extensive peat areas, where access to burned locations is difficult, terrain is soft, and hot weather, wind and low humidity accelerate the spread of fire. The sheer size of the area under watch makes it hard for personnel to address every hotspot at once.

The government has deployed personnel from the military (TNI), the police (Polri) and related units to speed up the response, covering firefighting, cooling of burned areas, hotspot monitoring, public rescue and field logistics. Dudung holds the position of steering chair for karhutla handling, a role that involves strengthening coordination between agencies and setting strategic steps to deal with on-the-ground obstacles, including the difficulty of extinguishing peat fires. He plans to report progress to President Prabowo, including needs for additional resources, oversight and prevention measures.

Regular reports to the government are expected to include the percentage of operations completed, firefighting achievements, the status of hotspots, additional requirements and the obstacles still facing units in the field. Measured data is intended to help the government assess the effectiveness of measures taken and adjust strategy as conditions change. Next steps focus on strengthening monitoring, accelerating suppression and adding support in areas with high concentrations of fires, with South Sumatra, Kalimantan and the Riau Islands identified as priorities so that resources, equipment and personnel can be directed to the most urgent locations.

The government also intends to discuss offers of assistance from several other countries with President Prabowo. No official answer has been given yet on whether those offers will be accepted or what form any cooperation might take, with the government still assessing needs, implementation mechanisms and how such help would fit with ongoing national efforts. Dudung said he hopes the President will issue specific direction for incidental conditions requiring a fast, coordinated response, including stronger inter-agency coordination, faster suppression at vulnerable hotspots and mitigation steps when smoke crosses borders.