T

he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said that the uncontrollable spread of smog from forest fires in Sumatra could be categorized as a human rights violation by the state because the government allows it to happen every year.

'€œThe government has committed fundamental human rights abuses because it has not stopped [forest fires],'€ Komnas HAM commissioner Roichatul Aswidah said as quoted by kompas.com on Saturday. She said that preventing such annual disasters was the responsibility of the central government along with local administrations.

Siti Noor Laila, another commissioner, said the spread of the haze had deprived residents of a healthy life. The people are forced to inhale polluted air in their own homes and workplaces. Therefore, she demanded the government temporarily relocate all people, particularly children, who have been affected by the haze.

Relocating residents to safe areas is no less important than the efforts to extinguish the fires, according to Siti. '€œThe government should also provide indoor school facilities and playgrounds for the children,'€ Siti added.

On Friday, a group called Riau'€™s Anti-Haze Movement visited the Komnas HAM office in Jakarta to complain about the worsening impact of the haze on people'€™s health in the province over the past month.

Siti said that her institution would carry out an investigation. '€œWe have to work immediately because the air pollution in the area has become intolerable,'€ she said, adding that the investigation was important for her institution before submitting a recommendation to the government.

Riau Provincial Health Agency recorded that the number of people suffering from upper respiratory tract infections as a result of this year'€™s haze had reached 43,386 or about double what was recorded last year.