Celebrate the Victory of the Brantas Mass Fish Kill Lawsuit: Ecoton Team Swims in the Brantas River

Carrying posters that read “Ayo Rek Besuk Sungai Brantas” (“Come on, Let’s Visit the Brantas River”) and “Brantas Seger Waras” (“Brantas, Stay Fresh and Healthy”), Alaika Rahmatullah and Manuel Togi Marsahata Sidabutar began the Ngintir Kali Brantas action on Saturday (October 12) in the Surabaya River.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision on the Judicial Review No. 821 PK/Pdt/2025, issued on Thursday, August 21, 2025, which rejected the petition filed by the Minister of Public Works and the Governor of East Java against Ecoton’s lawsuit on the mass fish deaths in the Brantas River, Ecoton’s 10 demands must now be fulfilled. Among these are the installation of CCTV cameras on every industrial wastewater outlet along the Brantas River and an official apology from the Governor to more than 40 million East Java residents for negligence in managing the Brantas ecosystem.

To celebrate their legal victory in the Brantas River pollution case, on Sunday (October 12) the Ecoton team — consisting of Daru Setyorini, Alaika Rahmatullah, Prigi Arisandi, Amirudin Muttaqin, Manuel Togi Marsahata Sidabutar, and Thara Bening Sandrina from River Warrior — carried out the Ngintir Kali Brantas (floating along the Brantas) action as an expression of gratitude for the Supreme Court’s decision to reject the Judicial Review petition from the East Java Governor and the Minister of Public Works. 

“We are grateful for the Supreme Court’s ruling, which is inkracht van gewijsde — meaning it has permanent legal force and cannot be appealed,” said Alaika Rahmatullah. He added that as a form of gratitude, the Ecoton team will embark on a 433 km expedition tracing the Brantas River from its source in Batu, Malang, to Jagir, Wonokromo.

 The “Visit the Brantas River” Campaign

 This river expedition is part of the Besuk Sungai Brantas (“Visit the Brantas River”) campaign, aimed at encouraging the people of East Java to protect, conserve, and care for the Brantas River ecosystem — a vital water source for local communities and a key contributor to the nation’s food security.

 “This victory (the rejection of the Governor’s Judicial Review) is a gift for East Java’s anniversary. Therefore, we will ‘visit’ the Brantas River by swimming, walking, cycling, and boating along its course from Batu to Surabaya — to share the river’s current condition and invite residents throughout the watershed to love and protect the Brantas,” said Prigi Arisandi. The program will begin on Sunday, October 12, 2026, with a Ngintir (floating) activity in the Surabaya River.

Expedition Route

October 12–15: Surabaya River (Mlirip – Jagir), October 16–18: Brantas Source (Batu City – Malang City), October 19–25: Malang – Karangkates – Wlingi – Tulungagung, October 26–31: Tulungagung – Kediri, November 1–5: Kediri – Megaluh, Jombang, November 6–15: Jombang – Mlirip, Mojokerto

Activities During the “Visit the River” Campaign

Throughout the campaign, the Ecoton team will conduct the following activities:

Inventory of industrial wastewater pollution sources, solid waste accumulation, plastic pollution, and riverbank degradation 

Water quality and microplastic testing

 Public outreach on the Supreme Court ruling and Ecoton’s 10 demands