The Transboundary Action Plan on Haze had been setup in ASEAN since 2003, also the Transboundary Haze Protection Act has been set up in 2014. Today, 2015, there is little intergovernmental cooperation between ASEAN member states, although Indonesia has been active in trying to bring the perpetrators who persist in the illegal burning to justice, through massive fines, or complete boycott of the products from these concessions, which normally produce paper products.
The problem is compounded by the El Nino phenomenon, which the world has been experiencing hotter summers and dryer weather hence causing massive forest fires ranging from California to Indonesia. Many of these concession owners also state that the fires are not started by them but by small farmers and then the spread of the wildfire gets out of control. The small farmers in turn point their fingers at the large concessions. While it is true the fires, once started, even by a dry spell, can cause havoc in a matter of minutes, this event, man made or natural has been occuring time and again over and over for the last 18 years !!!
This problem is almost 2 decades old. Since 1997, the Haze has been making a comeback every few years that people are resigned to living in this murky mess year after year. Health problems due to smoke inhalation will cause short and long term problems such as running noses, teary eyes, lung infection, and possibly cancer caused by carcinogens in the air.
Surely, the Indonesian Government can take proactive measures, such as early cloud seeding, or look into other ways to control this man made catastrophe ? It is coming to 20 years and we are no better than when the first haze started in 1997 ?
Appropriate preemptive Action from the authorities must be done and be seen to be done. ASEAN will be reduced to a toothless tiger if it can't even solve this year after year.
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