The Land of Fire: Unnatural Disaster and Local Power in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

In Indonesia, severe fires have been spreading for the past decades with catastrophic consequences for the environment, local people, and the global climate. The deforestation of rainforests and draining of peat swamps facilitates the spread of fires caused by arson and contributes to flooding and droughts. Due to the social, political, and economic context of the disasters, one can speak of unnatural disasters. In this article´s case study of Central Kalimantan in Indonesia, the nephews of one of the most influential palm oil tycoons are the current provincial governor and the other the provincial representative in Jakarta. This study analyzes the rise of the tycoon in the context of globalization, democratization, and decentralization in Indonesia. Most proposed solutions to contain the fires in Central Kalimantan do not consider this entanglement of palm oil plantation owners and politics or the political component of unnatural disasters, often blaming smallholders for the fires instead.