MORE SHOOTING IN BATAVIA

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24764, 3 January 1946, Page 5

MORE SHOOTING IN BATAVIA

BRITISH SOLDIER KILLED

HOPES OF SETTLEMENT WITH INDONESIANS

<Re ?-, 7 pmJ BATAVIA, January 1. At least one British soldier was killed and several were wounded in an outburst of shooting which greeted the New Year in Batavia. Hysterical shooting by drunken men set off a blaze of gunfire throughout the city, which lasted an hour. Many groups were convinced that a new conflict had broken out

Adding to the mass hysteria, came a rumour of a general Indonesian uprising set for midnight. The police say the rumour was groundless. They believe the shooting was entirely the result of drunkenness and nervousness. The Australian Associated Press correspondent says: “The Allied Command is slowly progressing with its two tasks in Java, but it is authoritatively stated that there is no basis for the suggestion that March 1 has been fixed for the withdrawal of the British forces. This will depend largely on the speed with which thc Japanese are concentrated j?n the -coast for Jtrgnshipment. a task which the Indonesian

Peace Preservation Corps will perform if the present negotiations succeed. Though the women and children in RAPWI esmps are now much less vulnerable, the shipping shortage is still vitiating RAPWI’s efforts. “Politically the situation is in a state o f flux until the return of Dr. van Mook (the Dutch Lieutenant-Gover-nor). about January 10. when a new offer to the Indonesians will be made. It is impossible even to speculate on whether a compromise can be reached, although the atmosphere is now more favourab’e than it has been for many weeks. The Indonesians still stand firmly by their demand for acknowledgment of their right to full independence as a preliminary to further negotiations ’’ Dutch Premier Broadcasts In a New Year broadcast to Indonesia. the Dutch Prime Minister (Professor Schermerhorn) said that in spite of all signs to the contrary, he was hopeful that the Dutch Government in collaboration with all parts of the Dutch Empire, would be able to create a foundation to uphold an idea of the empire which would satisfy a great majority of its inhabitants. The Government was firmly convinced that it would be possible to create an administration to achieve the aim of the restoration of peace and human happiness. He hoped that ele ments of the Indonesian public, even those who now believed in the success of the Indonesian independence movement would co-operate with the Dutch in building £ new Indonesia based on re-son and not on force. Earlier a British communique reuorted that all the public services in Batavia had been taken over by the British without a shot being fired. I ocal technicians co-operated fully and worked willingly under British BrTgad e e r wh§ f sear h ched two of ‘ h ? *«° a ‘ troublesome groups of native arrested without incident 91 suspects, mcludine seven extremist leaders. Before the search loudspeaker vans entered the areas, telling the people thev need not fear if they followed instructions. Interpreters accompanied th The Netherlands News Agency said that Indonesian police, many of whom were suspected of co-operating with the extremists, had been concentrated fo? interrogation at their barracks in B me‘ a ' Indonesian Premier ISutan Siahrir) asked to comment on the arrival of the battalion of Dutch Marines, said: “This was agreed on long ago, when we requested the removal of the British troops. The British suggested that they, should be replaced b? Dutch Marines, to which W Marines were raised and trained by Americans and have not previously been in the Netherlands East Indies The Dutch are said to have 600 more marines awaiting embarkation for the Netherlands East Indies.