INDONESIAN CRISIS Rebels Await Invasion

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28531, 10 March 1958, Page 9

INDONESIAN CRISIS Rebels Await Invasion

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 9. Indonesian rebels were preparing for invasion of their Central Sumatran stronghold by Government forces, according to an American Associated Press dispatch from Padang. It said that rebel Army sources had forecast an attack within 24 hours, after the dropping by highflying Government bombers yesterday of leaflets warning that an invasion was near.

Two other planes bombed and strafed a bridge in the village of Kalumpang, 100 miles south of Padang. The rebels said Kalumpang was one of the points at which they expected an invasion. An Army spokesman did not say what damage, if any, the bridge suffered. No casualties were reported. The American Association Press quoted high rebel Army sources as saying that their information indicated a Jakarta plan for amphibious landings at several points along the Indian Ocean coast near Padang. The use of paratroops also was possible. Army sources said.

Previous rebel statements have discounted the possibility of an invasion. The Central Government lacks troops, landing craft and planes for landings in force Rebels Prepared

The dispatch said the rebel Foreign Minister, Colonel Maludin Simbolon. had told reporters that the rebel Army was prepared to meet any attack. But the news agency said that although rebel troops were spreading out across beach positions. apparently they would not attempt a battle on the beaches. Rather, they would use guerrilla tactics in the jungles and concentrate at defending the rebel capital at Bukit Tinggi. Colonel Simbolon had told reporters earlier that rebels knew that warships, including the destroyer Gadja Mada, left Jakarta on March 5 with troops and supplies for an invasion.

“The question now is whether Jakarta is capable of launching an all-out attack,’’ he said. “We estimate they need eight to 10 battalions for that.” Colonel Simbolon denied that the rebels were trying to get help from SE.A.T.O In Singapore, the “Straits Times” said reports of imminent war in Sumatra had reached Singapore businessmen. The “Times” said these businessmen had goods believed to be worth £4.600.000 locked up in Central Sumatra. Some had started smuggling out their goods in small Indonesian boats. The “Times” said that Indonesian troops were gathering in the Rhio Archipelago, south of Singapore. The Rhios face the river port of Pakan Bahru on the eastern side of Central Sumatra. The “Times” quoted “informed sources” as saying that hundreds of folding beds had been shipped to the Rhios from Singapore in the last two days “for newlyarrived Jakarta troops.”

Rebel sources said that a landing in insurgent Central Sumatra by Indonesian Government troops “would lead to Soekarno’s complete undoing.” If the troops went ashore in Sumatra other provinces of Indonesia would rise.