REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Countries impacted by pollution as a result of natural resource exploitation can sue polluter countries based on international laws, environment expert Laode Muhammad Syarif said.
"From an international law aspect, the risk is being faced by the country where land continues to be burnt and in such cases the victimized country can sue the polluter state," Syarif, from the Makassar-based University of Hasanuddin said during a discussion on the enforcement of environmental law: "Cutting the cycle of land and forest fires," on Thursday.
He said the Indonesian government had been urged to apologize several times for the haze produced from forest and land burning activities in the country. The haze had even spread to the neighboring nations.
Syarif cited the example of the apology tendered by the Indonesian government for forest fires, which had burnt 10 million hectares in 1997 and 1998. The forest fires had coincided with the emergence of the El Nino weather phenomenon.
He said that based on an international view point, an apology from Indonesia was the only way Indonesia could acknowledge its mistake.
"As the Indonesian government has tendered an apology several times, it can be easily defeated if taken to the international court," Syarif stressed.
He said that each country had the sovereignty to manage its natural resources, but its efforts to exploit these resources should not cause damage to other countries, such as causing pollution.
Therefore, according to Syarif, the problem of forest and land fires should continue to be firmly and concertedly dealt with, based on the law.
"Indonesia must enforce its own laws with regards to the forest fires," he said.
In the meantime, it was reported that over 12,260 inhabitants of Riau Province have fallen ill due to the haze triggered by forest, peatland, and plantation fires flaring up in the province.
The data was obtained from patients seeking medical treatments at community health centers and hospitals in Riau from between June 29 and September 7, Andra Sjafril, the Head of the Riau Health Center, noted recently.
Of the total number, 2,160 were the inhabitants of Pekanbaru, 2,038 of Dumai City, and 1,044 of Bengkalis District.
As many as 324 people were found to be suffering from severe pneumonia, 315 were ailing from asthma, 879 were suffering from eye irritation, and 1,256 complained of skin irritation.
At least 222,100 face masks have been distributed to the local residents across Riau Province.
The authorities have advised people in Riau to stay indoors, to wear face masks while venturing outdoors, and to stay amply hydrated and eat nutritious food to stay healthy amidst the haze problem.
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