INDONESIANS CLAIM SUCCESSES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25246, 26 July 1947, Page 9

INDONESIANS CLAIM SUCCESSES

Counter-Attacks On Three Fronts In Java

CAPTURE OF MODJOKERTO DISPUTED

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) BATAVIA, July 25. Since the Dutch advances were slowed down yesterday, the tD? rC c e^v^ rße x , On ?i an appeal b y the Indonesian President (Dr Soekarno) to defend every inch of the country, claim successful counter-attacks on sectors of all three fronts nt Java.

In the latest reports from the Malay language service of °? e . A j“T 5L e^ s a, f ency ’ the. Republicans claim to have encircled the Dutch forces which had driven south from the central north coast port of Samarang on.Ambarawa and Toentang.

lir Cheribon, the Republicans claim that they are still resisting. Earlier reports said that they had retaken Lawang and Modjokerto, south of Surabaya, and had moved back into the smouldering ruins of Java’s most beautiful city, Malang, which was largely destroyed two days ago, as part of the scorched earth pdhcy in the path of the Dutch advance. The Dutch dispute the capture of Modjokerto. The last Dutch reports said that Netherlands troops had quelled a midnight uprising of the population, and that troops and armoured vehicles were patrolling its dusty, war-torn streets.

The Antara service says that at least 150 Dutch soldiers were killed or wounded when the Indonesians counter-attacked at Modjokerto last night. An eye-witness states that the attack began at 11.10 p.m. and was preceded by gun and machine-gun fire. About 2400 Indonesian soldiers, aided by 1800 civilians armed with grenades and bamboo spears, participated in the attack. After five hours’ fighting, and “having brought confusion, death, and destruction to a Dutch position within the town,” the Indonesians had to retreat before a Dutch counter-attack. The Indonesians resumed their positions on the outskirts of the town. In Sumatra, Republican reports from Pematang Siantar, in the centre of the island’s rich plantation area on the north-east coast, say that Chinese forces—traditional enemies of the Dutch —have taken the village of Pulau Brajan, between Medan and its port, Belawan, cutting the line of communication. The Dutch commander-in-chief (Lieutenant-General S. H. Spoor) announced yesterday that it was not the intention of the Dutch to occupy all the Indonesian Republic. Unconfirmed reports say that the Dutch are now concentrating on mopping up the areas they have already captured, in readiness for the return of Dutch, British, and other foreign planters to their prewar properties. These operations may

be expected to include the occupation of Indramaju, 25 miles north-west of Cheribon, and Apmanukan, another

40 miles west, about half-way between Cheribon and Batavia. There are no confirmed reports of Dutch intentions to move on the ports of Tegal and Tjilitjap.