The Press THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1950. Indonesia

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26121, 25 May 1950, Page 4

The Press THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1950. Indonesia

Five months after the United States of Indonesia was proclaimed at The Hague it has virtually ceased to exist: and the only survivor of its 16 components is the Republican State that was formed in Jogjakarta during the chaos after the Japanese surrender. This achievement of the Republicans (reported on Tuesday morning) has not been won without civil war in West Java, the Celebes, and Ambon; but it has been primarily a political victory. It is too early to be sure how efficiently the central Government will be able to administer this large new State with its 76,600,000 people, territories extending for 3200 miles, and natural wealth exceeded only by the resources of the United States of America and Russia. Indonesia has still to recover from years of civil war, and is woefully short of trained technical officers. Even with the full support of the people it will face a hard task; and the manner in which the Republic has gobbled up other States is not calculated to win support. Much will depend on how far the revised constitution will meet the natural desire of diverse and scattered peoples for some form of self-government. By the agreement at The Hague the United States of Indonesia consisted of the Republic and 10 other States, four autonomous territories in Borneo, and one district under the control of the Federal Government. Because of the Republic’s population and importance it was thought fair that it should have a representation of 30 per cent, in federal organisations. The final constitution was to be worked out at the end of this year by a constituent assembly, in which the Republic and other parts of Java would have had a majority. It was suggested that in a bicameral legislature States would be represented according to population in the lower house, but would have equal

representation in the upper house, as in the American Congress. There was provision for the earlier regrouping of States by free vote of the people; but the Republic has taken over smaller States without plebiscites. Indeed, there was such confusion in the replacement of Dutch administrations in some territories that plebiscites would have been impossible. In any case their value might be doubted, because 97 per cent, of the people are illiterate. There have apparently been two main reasons for the Republic’s precipitancy. The first was a genuine belief that order could be more quickly restored by a strong central Government than by the divided authority of the Federal and State Governments. Even more potent, perhaps, was the Republicans’ mistrust of the Federalists in the other States, because the Federalists had been ready to negotiate with the Dutch when the Republicans were fighting. In the gradual extension of their power, first in the Federal Government and then in the absorption of the other States, the Republicans have been helped by the correct Dutch attitude to the Federal Government, by the passionate loyalty of their followers to the cause of nationalism, and by the lack of the popular appeal in the more conservative policies of the Federalists. President Soekarno and the Jogjakarta group of intellectuals have proved able politicians; but their political triumph may cost Indonesia some of the good will that accompanied the attainment of independence. Events in Indonesia will certainly prejudice whatever chance the Republicans have of taking over Western New Guinea, the claims to which were repeated this week by President Soekarno. The Dutch, with their vital economic interests, will anxiously calculate how far they can rely on the Republicans. The Australians are becoming critical. Even the Americans, with their instinctive affection for colonial peoples, are beginning to have some doubts about the new State they did so much to foster. The “ New “ York Times ” on April 28 commented: “ The Indonesian Republic “ has had many sympathetic friends “ and eloquent spokesmen in this “ country. Some of them may be “ alienated if there is further evidence that the agreements that “ led to independence are not being “ honoured in good faith ”. Unfortunately, the evidence now seems complete. There is no longer a United States of Indonesia—only the Republic.