REPUBLIC’S POSITION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25247, 28 July 1947, Page 7

REPUBLIC’S POSITION

“Unequal Fight” SCORCHED EARTH TACTICS

(Rec. 11 p.m.) JOGJAKARTA, July 26. General Sudirman, the Indonesian Commander-in-Chief, admitted to-day that the Republicans were now engaged in unequal fighting, but the Dutch success in occupying “some important strategic towns” was not of great importance. The Indonesian strength lay in the orderly execution of scorched earth tactics and guerrilla warfare. General Sudirman declared that his forces at Salatiga, 70 miles north-east of Jogjakarta, were still holding the Dutch drive on the Republican capital after four days of fighting. Indonesian units had also cut the communications between the Dutch force and its base at Samarang. He claimed that the Indonesian army was still intact and that the resistance of the army and the people outside the Dutch-occupied towns was stiffening. Entire populations were aiding in guerrilla attacks. These tactics had scored brilliant successes at Modjokerto. Medan, and Samarang. Commenting on the Dutch announcement that the people in captured areas had welcomed th* Dutch, General Sudirman said: “You can take it from me that the populations of temporarily occupied territories jubilantly received the recapture of their towns and villages by the Indonesian army.” Mr Sutan Akbar, leader of the Djakarta Raya (tnq, People’s Army) to-day instructed his followers to support the Republican Army in the present national struggle for freedom. The Djakarta Raya opposed the Cheribon agreement because it claimed that it did not guarantee the independence of the Indonesian Republic. Mr Sutan Akbar and the Republican Cabinet, however, to-day reached complete agreement to take joint action against the Dutch. Members of the Djakarta Raya are reported to be good fighters. They are scattered throughout the whole of West Java.