Minister Pigai Orders KemenHAM to Help Control El Niño Impacts
Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai has ordered all ranks of the Ministry of Human Rights (KemenHAM) throughout Indonesia to actively coordinate and synergise with central and regional governments in responding to the El Niño phenomenon occurring in several regions. This measure is part of efforts to ensure that the social impacts of extreme weather conditions can be anticipated and controlled collectively.
“Regarding the increasingly widespread impacts of El Niño, I order all KemenHAM ranks across Indonesia to work hand in hand with local governments to actively participate in control measures,” he said in a written statement on Tuesday (11/8/2026).
Pigai also requested KemenHAM regional offices to coordinate with various parties, monitor developments on the ground, and help ensure that anticipatory and control measures are implemented according to regional needs. This coordination is also directed at identifying various social impacts that may arise from prolonged dry conditions, including forest and land fires, drought, potential water crises, and crop failures that can affect community livelihoods.
The order aligns with government measures to respond to the very dry weather and the increased risk of forest and land fires in several parts of Indonesia. The central government, together with regional authorities and relevant elements, continues to monitor hotspots and intensify field operations. Various support measures have been prepared, including weather modification operations, water bombing, helicopters, and aircraft to assist fire control according to regional conditions and needs.
Furthermore, Pigai stressed that KemenHAM staff should not only monitor from an administrative perspective but also go directly into communities to observe the impacts felt by residents. This monitoring is crucial to ensure that affected groups, including vulnerable populations, receive attention, and that potential social issues and impacts on the fulfilment of community rights can be promptly identified and coordinated with local governments and relevant stakeholders.
“All KemenHAM ranks across all regions of Indonesia must actively go into the community, monitor conditions, and carry out anticipatory and control measures together with relevant parties,” he explained. He emphasised that cross-sector synergy is necessary so that the handling of El Niño’s impacts focuses not only on disaster control but also ensures that the protection and fulfilment of community rights continue amidst the evolving situation.