Indonesia protests: Students take to streets over wildfires, toxic haze
Indonesian students took to the streets across several cities on Tuesday, protesting against President Prabowo Subianto's government over its handling of widespread wildfires and a toxic haze that has left thousands unwell and disrupted livelihoods across the country.
The demonstrations, held as Prabowo's government marked its second anniversary, reflected growing anger over what protesters described as government ineptitude and corruption. From Jakarta to Bandung, Yogyakarta, Pekanbaru and Makassar, demonstrators demanded action as fires continued to ravage large areas of Borneo and Sumatra.
The scale of the crisis has added urgency to their demands. More than 1.9 million hectares of land burned in Indonesia during the first nine months of 2026, according to wildfire monitor Nusantara Atlas.
'I have the right to breathe'
For many Indonesians, the crisis is no longer just about forest fires. Persistent smoke has affected public health and hit people whose livelihoods depend on daily business.
In Jakarta, one protest banner declared, "If we burn, you burn with us!" Another carried a direct demand to authorities: "I have the right to breathe. Extinguish the fires immediately."
In Palangkaraya, on Borneo, residents described the financial and physical toll of the haze.
Melsi, a 40-year-old street vendor, said sales had fallen while prices continued to rise, leaving her struggling without a steady income. She broke down while telling AFP that people like her could only hope the government would resolve the crisis.
Sifra, a 29-year-old homemaker, said her husband and two children had been coughing for a month. Despite staying indoors, her family could not escape the smoke.
Residents and activists have called for stronger intervention, with dozens gathering in Palangkaraya on Monday to demand that authorities declare a state of emergency.
Greenpeace activists detained
The protests also saw police detain six activists who displayed Greenpeace banners at Jakarta's Bundaran HI roundabout on Tuesday morning, before the student marches began, according to campaigner Jeanny Sirait.
One banner described the situation as a national disaster, directly linking the haze to Prabowo's administration.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency said more than 60,000 firefighters, including volunteers, had been deployed to tackle the fires. Authorities had 49 aircraft available for water bombing and cloud seeding, although haze had intermittently grounded some aircraft.
The pollution has also pushed air pollution levels higher in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Indonesia experiences fires during its dry season, but this year's outbreak has been particularly severe, partly due to an intense El Niño episode. As the fires continue, students and residents are demanding a stronger response from a government facing mounting public anger over the crisis.
With AFP inputs