DUTCH PRESTIGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 151, 12 April 1950, Page 5

DUTCH PRESTIGE

FLOWING OUT OF INDONESIA CO-OPERATION VERY DIFFICULT I (By Lionel Hudson.—N.Z.P.A.-Reuter Correspondent). , JAKARTA. Dutch prestige continues to flow out of the three-months-old United States of Indonesia tvith the same inexorable surge that the coffeecoloured water runs seaward along the canals the Dutch cut through this ' capital centuries ago, observena state. It is running out so fast they say that badly-needed co-operation between the Dutch and the Indonesian Governments is becoming increasingly difficult. The aim of an influential element in the neAv regime, it is claimed is to cut out all co-operation with the Dutch on the official government level Avhile the Dutch themselves, comprising right and left, are stubbornly trying to maintain .a measure' of'influence in the country. So to-day' the newly-born Netherlands - Indonesian Union is as vulnerable as, a loveless marriage.

It is stressed by Avell-informed neutral sources that although .the day of the Dutch in the East Indies is over the former masters still have a vital advisory job to do. Without technical and economic guidance from the Dutch the young Republic is considered .even by moderate Indonesians to be in danger of slipping back. Indonesian leaders who claim to knoAV the Avill of their 80 milion citizens point out that it is too soon after the revolution to expect emotions to have calmed down to the extent that effective co-opera-tion between officials of the two governments would be possible. In addition, they stress, that the “Westerning affair” did incalculable damage to Dutch-Indonesian relations. Actively Involved It Avas not so much the hit-and-run attack on Bandoeng, by the rebel forces of the former Dutch commando, Captain Raymond Westerling, that did the damage they say, but that some influential Dutchmen were not only sympathetic with the movement but actively involved in it. Although Yresterling was only small fry and his active followers few in number there is no doubt in the minds of Indonesian leadens that many die-hard colonrai Dutch here were ready to support him at the first turn of success. Indonesian security officers claim to have documentary proof that the Westerling affair Avas only one phase of the operations planned by certain Dutch interests to discredit the Indonesian Government by bringing about disorder and chaos. Observers, contend that verification or otherwise of this claim is not as important as that Indonesian authorities appear to b'e determined to make a case out of it. Few of the Dutch officials are trusted by the struggling neAv government. The Parliament of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia waich has yet to go to the people is made up of Federalists holding out for varying degrees of co-operation AA'ita Dutch officials during the first phase of the new regime, and Republicans who Avill have no part of Dutch authority be it administrative, economic or cultural. . ; . The Republicans Avhose spiritual capital is Jogjakarta, the fountain of the revolution, are not satisfied that the real liberation of the Dutch East Indies has yet taken place. Their cry is: The flag has changed but the Dutch have not relaxed their economic hold on the islands. Although most of Mohammed Hatta’s Cabinet are Republicans at heart, they are striving to keep high-level relations Avith the Dutch on a working basis. This was emphasised a § aJ h at the first conference of Union Ministers where a number of contentious subjects were dealt Avith in an amicable atmosphere. But there- are strong feelings among the people- of both countries regarding certain pects of the confused situation. The question of the future of Dutch NeAV Guinea has not yet been settled, and it will continue to prejudice relations until it has been decided one way or another, and afterwards, too. A deadlock Avas avoided on this issue at the first Union, conference, but the Republicans make no secret of the fact that they intend to force a shoAVdewn in September. Move Has Failed At The Hague round-table conference which preceded the transfer o£ / sovereignty after 340 years of Dutch rule, it Avas agreed that the 10,000 Dutch nationals in the Netherlands Indies Government would remain to guide the Indonesians through the first tAvo years of self-rule. Astute observers sav this moA'e has failed. The invaluable .administrative experts, technicians and economists are anxious to leave the country because they are being shunned and their advice ignored. Noav monetary measures Avhich make it prohibitive to remit money overseas and trebles the cost of the air and sea travel has helped to spread dissatisfaction among the Dutch. On the other hand, Indonesian leaders emphasise that having little faith in them, they cannot be expected to use Dutch officials. Too many Dutchmen are indifferent Avhether the Indonesian ■ Administration succeeds, they say. The Indonesians are seeking the right to choose Avhich Dutchmen they please as officials in their Government. Both Dutch and Indonesians speak of the colonial-minded officials of the old Indies Government Avho showed their resentment at the turn-about that folloAved the transfer of sovereignty. Others, it is admitted, viCAved the change philosophically, ■anti. Avere sincere in their attempts to help. Naturally, the pent-up nationalism which, suddenly flooded the archipelago has left its mark. In Jakarta the streets are not “straats” any more, but “djalans,” and all the names have been changed. Indonesians moved into the most spacious marblefloored offices and are driven in the largest automobiles, A people Avho haA r e been Dutch-educated for three generations are not learning Dutch any more in the schools. In the midst of this changing scene Dutchmen are to be seen sipping their hols and Avading through their ricetafels, but many of them, including the steelhelmeted sentries at Amrious points throughout the city, look as selfconscious as the man at a party to which he Avas not invited. There is little evidence in Jakarta to-day of anti-Dutch feeling. Respon-, sible Dutch officials expect the anti-

feeling to subside as the Inondesians busy themselves with the gigantic task of reconstructing their country 1 with so few skilled personnel. They are supported in this by the new Republic’s only elder statesman, 65-year-* old Hadji Agus. Salim, who was Foreign Minister before ,the nation got its sovereignty. The Hadji slowly scratched his small grey beard when he told me: “Indonesia will absorb half a million Dutch within the next 30 years. When things get tough in Holland we’ll get. the young Dutchmen opt here—and they’re the ones we want,’’ - - ,