By Gabriel Abdi Susanto
JAKARTA (SE): The Commission for Justice and Peace, Migrants and Itinerant People of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference [KKP PMP KWI] has called for firm law enforcement against those responsible for forest and land fires, urging the government and businesses to strengthen environmental protection and support affected communities.
The appeal, entitled, “Listening to the Cry of the Earth, Defending Life Amid Indonesia’s Forest and Land Fires,” was issued in Jakarta on October 26.
In the appeal, KKP PMP KWI executive secretary, Father Marthen Jenarut expressed deep concern over forest and land fires in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua, Maluku, Sulawesi and other parts of Indonesia.
The fires threaten not only the environment but also public health, safety, livelihoods and communities’ living spaces, particularly those of indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups.
“When forests burn, people’s lives are threatened, their living spaces shrink, and vulnerable groups face increasingly severe suffering,” the appeal said.
Father Jenarut cited data from the Ministry of Forestry showing 11,772 hotspots across Indonesia as of October 10. The ministry reported that more than three million people in seven provinces had been exposed to haze in August 2026.
In the appeal, KKP PMP KWI executive secretary, Father Marthen Jenarut expressed deep concern over forest and land fires in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua, Maluku, Sulawesi and other parts of Indonesia
Data as of October 17 also recorded 311,363 cases of acute respiratory infections in fire-affected areas of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
The appeal acknowledges that not every hotspot indicates an actual fire and that not all ARI cases can be conclusively attributed to smoke. Nevertheless, the figures point to a serious threat to public health and the sustainability of life.
For the Catholic Church, forest and land fires are not merely an environmental issue but also a humanitarian concern and a matter of ecological justice. Environmental destruction cannot be separated from poverty, social injustice and the protection of human dignity.
Seven moral appeals
KKP PMP KWI outlined seven priorities for addressing the crisis.
First, it called on the government and relevant stakeholders to prioritise human safety and health by strengthening fire prevention and response, ensuring healthcare services, and protecting children, older people and other vulnerable groups.
Second, it urged firm, fair and transparent law enforcement against those proven responsible for forest burning and environmental destruction. Economic interests must not come at the expense of human safety, environmental sustainability or the right to a healthy life.
For the Catholic Church, forest and land fires are not merely an environmental issue but also a humanitarian concern and a matter of ecological justice. Environmental destruction cannot be separated from poverty, social injustice and the protection of human dignity
Third, the commission stressed the need to protect Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ rights to their land, forests, livelihoods, and social and cultural identities. Forest management must ensure community participation and safeguard their living spaces.
Fourth, it calls for fair and sustainable environmental governance. The government and businesses are urged to promote transparent and accountable forest and land management, strengthen fire prevention, review land-use policies and restore damaged ecosystems.
Fifth, the appeal encouraged communities, religious groups, educational institutions, civil society organisations and businesses to support affected populations and work together to restore the environment.
Sixth, burned forests must be restored as forests, rather than converted into plantations, mining areas or other uses driven by economic interests. The state and responsible parties must protect ecosystems and enforce the law for the sake of future generations.
Seventh, the commission called for ecological conversion through practical action, including lifestyle changes, ecological education, support for affected communities, advocacy for just policies and care for the Earth as our common home.
KKP PMP KWI stressed that forests and land must not be viewed merely as economic resources. They are part of our common home and sustain human health, dignity, biodiversity and the future of generations to come
Caring for our common home
The appeal refers to Laudato Si’, the encyclical of Pope Francis, particularly paragraph 49, which emphasises that the cry of the Earth cannot be separated from the cry of the poor.
KKP PMP KWI stressed that forests and land must not be viewed merely as economic resources. They are part of our common home and sustain human health, dignity, biodiversity and the future of generations to come.
The commission said the fires should prompt the nation to renew its responsibility for life, advance ecological justice and pursue ecological conversion together.
“Caring for the Earth is a shared responsibility. Defending life is a moral calling. Striving for ecological justice is an expression of love for God, our fellow human beings and all creation,” Father Jenarut said in concluding the appeal.
