REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- A peaceful rally was organised here on Monday to protest the prolonged haze that has enveloped Riau Province.
This hazard has occurred every year for the past 17 years and has taken a toll on the health of residents here, many of whom suffer from respiratory infection and have endured material losses. The haze is due to forest, plantation and peatlan fires, explained Herry Budiman, the rally's field coordinator.
Hundreds of people, including NGO activists, urged the authorities, particularly the police, attorney general officers and judges, to enforce laws consistently, firmly and transparently to prevent forest fires from occurring again.
"The haze problem has been endemic for 17 years, but there is no solution in sight. Therefore, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should be responsible for the problem," Herry said. "As Indonesian citizens and Riau's inhabitants, we demand an apology from him, the Riau administration, and the district/city administrations," he stressed.
"Law enforcers must be firm in imposing regulations transparently and fairly. They must protect the environment. The haze problem is worse than the eruptions of Mount Kelud and Mount Sinabung," he pointed out.
The activists at the rally were from Walhi, Jikalahari, Greenpeace, Mapala, Seruni, and WWF Riau.
Meanwhile, Zainal Arifin, head of Riau's health office, warned on Monday, "The number of people affected will keep increasing if the smog is not tackled."
The menace has affected the health of more than 43.8 thousand residents of Riau Province due to forest and land fires occurring for the past eight weeks. Of these, 38,424 suffered from acute respiratory system infection (ISPA). The regions with the most ISPA patients were Pekanbaru (9,268) and Rokan Hilir Regency (7,520). At least 2,021 residents also suffered from skin irritation and 1,470 from asthma.
It has also resulted in 1,344 Riau residents getting treated for eye irritation in public health centers, while about 811 suffered from pneumonia.
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