Muhammadiyah Warns Against Normalizing Indonesia’s Annual Fires
Muhammadiyah says Indonesia’s forest fires must not become an accepted annual disaster, citing harm to health, education and livelihoods.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Muhammadiyah has warned that recurring forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan should not be treated as an annual disaster, citing damage to public health, education and livelihoods, as well as Indonesia’s standing with neighboring countries.
The national Muslim organization issued the warning on Wednesday in a statement addressing fires in 2026. The smoke and environmental damage affect communities directly, while the consequences can extend beyond the areas burning and draw concern from neighboring nations.
The statement, signed by Muhammadiyah Chairman Haedar Nashir and Secretary Sayuti, contains nine points. It calls for attention to the causes of the fires, including land management and oversight, rather than treating each outbreak as an unavoidable seasonal event.
Muhammadiyah says annual fires must not be normalized
“In addition to very severe environmental damage, these forest and land fires directly cause serious problems for the community, such as disruption to public health and education, loss of livelihoods, and a negative image of Indonesia in the eyes of the world, especially neighboring countries,” the organization said in its statement, quoted on Wednesday.
The effects reach into daily life. When fires disrupt health and schooling or threaten sources of income, residents face immediate costs even after the flames are no longer the focus. Muhammadiyah’s warning is that accepting fires as routine risks making those burdens recur without sufficient attention to prevention.
The organization describes fires in Indonesia as a complex problem spanning causes from upstream to downstream. It links them to natural conditions, human activity, management of natural resources and other factors, and says vulnerable weather conditions should not excuse failures to prevent or address fires.
Calls for scrutiny of land practices and oversight
Muhammadiyah urged serious examination of land burning, negligence in land management, weak oversight, alleged violations and possible inaction. The statement puts accountability and land governance alongside environmental conditions as issues requiring scrutiny when fires recur.
That focus matters for communities living with the consequences. Preventing fires can help reduce threats to health, keep education from being disrupted and protect livelihoods; investigating how land is managed may also help identify preventable risks instead of leaving residents to bear the impact of repeated outbreaks.
The organization argues that natural-resource management should serve public welfare and justice. Its statement frames environmental protection as a responsibility to safeguard people and the natural world, including for future generations.
Muhammadiyah also grounds that position in Islamic teachings, citing Al-Baqarah 2:11, Al-A’raf 7:56 and Ar-Rum 30:41 in connection with prohibitions against causing destruction. It says human responsibility includes protecting life, future generations and the environment, and preventing harm.
The organization called for allegations of violations and inaction in land management to be examined seriously.
