EVACUATIONS FROM MEDAN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28539, 19 March 1958, Page 13

EVACUATIONS FROM MEDAN

250 Americans To Leave (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 18.

The evacuation of 250 Americans from Medan in Northern Sumatra was ordered today, the American Associated Press reported from Jakarta. The news agency quoted a United States Vice-Consul, Mr Richard Dleary, as saying that the 250 American men, women ■nd children would leave for Singapore on Thursday on the liner Orande.

Their evacuation was ordered by the United States rubber firms and Christian missions whose personnel make up the bulk of the American population in Northern Sumatra.

The Oranje would evacuate 825 Dutch nationals at the same time. Mr Dleary, speaking by telephone from Medan, said.

No Americans had been injured in the two brief battles during which the city changed hands, the American Associated Press reported. Mr Dleary, the news agency said, had confirmed the Jakarta Government’s claim that it had regained control of Medan The loyal Indonesian Army paratroopers had dropped on Belawan, the port of Medan, early on Monday and taken the city after a brief but sharp assault

The “New York Times” dispatch said the Medan area had been regarded as loyal to the Central Government. The area was surrounded by territory that was either sympathetic to the rebels or neutral.

The British United Press said the rebel troops, after leaving Medan, were believed to be heading south towards Tapanuli, which joined the rebels last Friday. Russian Ships Bought

The American Associated Press reported that the Indonesian Government had decided to buy 10 Soviet-built cargo-passenger ships immediately. Tbe news agency quoted theMiniiter of Shipping, Commodore Mohammed Nazir, who said the Government had planned originally to charter the ships, but now had changed its decision in favour of outright purchase. Four Soviet ships are already lying in Jakarta's Tanjung Priok harbour. A contract for the purchase of two of these was signed yesterday by the Shipping Ministry and a visiting Soviet shipping delegation. An agreement for the purchase of the other two ships would be signed within the next two days. Six more would arrive by the end of the month, making a total of 23.000 tons.

The Minister said the ships were being bought out of a loan of 100 million dollars from the United States.

Jakarta Radio said today the Indonesian Air Force had bombed a convoy of rebel fuel trucks in Central Sumatra. The radio denied reports that Government troops at Pakanbaru in Central Sumatra had gone over to the rebels.