The Press FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1983. Fear Of Indonesian Ambitions

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30045, 1 February 1963, Page 8

The Press FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1983. Fear Of Indonesian Ambitions

Concern expressed by the Leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr Calwell) about Indonesia’s military and territorial ambitions will be echoed by thousands of Australians, representing a wide range of political sympathies. While so much is known of Indonesian arms purchases, and while Indonesian spokesmen are so belligerent, it will be futile for Dr. Soekarno and his Ministers to protest against criticisms in Australia and other non-Communist countries. The latest such protest to be reported was made by Dr. Subandrio, the Foreign Minister, in a typically bellicose and illogical interview with journalists. Indeed, the more Indonesian Ministers fulminate, the more will many Australians be convinced that another military explosion, touched off by Indonesian nationalist excesses, cannot be delayed indefinitely. From Djakarta radiate disquieting influences that already have been felt in Malaya, Singapore, Australian New Guinea, Portuguese Timor, British North Borneo, Brunei, and Sarawak. Having acquired West Irian (the former Dutch New Guinea) after threats of a “ war “of liberation ”, Indonesia may well consider that similar tactics, astutely pressed against the “colonialists”, will yield rich dividends and bolster the arrogant nationalism that Dr. Soekarno has carefully nurtured. Ironically, the Indonesians choose to ignore the fact that in this process they themselves are becoming “ colonialists ” —rulers of alien peoples, whose defencelessness against relatively sophisticated intruders could be the sole reason for a transfer of sovereignty.

Dr. Soekarno has cultivated a fanatical nationalism as an instrument for uniting an otherwise alarmingly divided nation. For years the main outlet for this sentiment was the campaign for West New Guinea. Having won this campaign, the Indonesians promptly cast about for ways of evading the undertakings given in return for their territorial gains. If more campaigns of this sort are to be waged, the Indonesians must be tempted to capitalise on administrative shortcomings and other weaknesses in the territories they want. An obvious target is Portuguese Timor, where antipathies aroused by the Salazar regime are

the Indonesians’ best allies. Clearly, the Indonesians stand to gain much if they can strike before the bonds of Greater Malaysia are cemented. The creation of the proposed Malaysian Federation, joining Sarawak, Brunei and North Borneo with Malaya and Singapore, would set a formidable obstacle to Indonesian ambitions. If the three Bornean territories became separate independent States, the way would be open to their absorption by Indonesia. Since the collapse of the Indonesian-encouraged

revolt in Brunei, Dr. Subandrio has announced an Indonesian policy of “ confrontation ” against Malaya. The sinister overtones of such a policy were illustrated during the West New Guinea dispute. Although strong elements, notably in the armed forces, still oppose Indonesia’s complete espousal of communism, Dr. Soekarno’s Government is the world’s foremost recipient of Com-munist-bloc aid. By the middle of last year credits for economic and military purposes from all the Communist-bloc countries were reported to exceed £6OO million. In 1957 Dr. Soekarno announced that Mr Mao Tse-tung had offered him unlimited quantities of military equipment, and in the same year an Indonesian military mission visited Peking. During 1958 the first arms from the Communist bloc began arriving. Till early in 1960, when Mr Khrushchev visited Indonesia, few military items came directly from Russia; but subsequently direct Russian aid amounting to probably £2O million was arranged. Among the Russian equipment acquired during the last year have been MiG-21 fighter planes armed with air-to-air missiles and TU--16 medium bombers carrying air-to-surface missiles. The possibility that Soviet deliveries will include tactical nucleat weapons cannot be dismissed. At first the Indonesian forces received reluctantly their Commun-ist-bloc supplies. More recently, however, many Indonesian officers have been trained in Communist countries, and this diffidence has disappeared. After its bloodless victory in West New Guinea, Indonesia retains powerful and numerous forces with which to press future territorial demands. Is Australian anxiety really to be wondered at?