ARMY PATROL AMBUSHED

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 11

ARMY PATROL AMBUSHED

‘Guerrillas From Indonesia’ (N.Z.P.A.-R«ut«r— Copyright) KUCHING (Sarawak), August 17. A European Gurkha officer has been seriously wounded in a dash between British Army security forces and guerrillas said to be supported by Indonesia.

A guerrilla band ambushed a Gurkha patrol travelling in a boat near the border of Sarawak, with Indonesian Borneo. In the first burst of fire, the officer was wounded. The Army patrol then retreated, and another guerrilla group opened fire, wounding a Dyak tracker. The tracker has been lifted out by helicopter, and an attempt to take out the officer was expected late today. A British Army spokesman said the Gurkha unit involved was still hunting for the guerrilla band. Royal Air Force helicopters later began lifting aimmunition and supplies to the Gurkhas. , Government sources say that the Indonesian-based guerrillas have managed to win the support of a number of Dyak villages on the border of Sarawak. The action came as a United Nations team made plans to begin flying its sections to all divisional headquarters in Sarawak. “So far, the pressure has come in the form of raids on Iban (Sea Dyak) long-houses by Indonesian guerrilla unite . . . banditry appears to be the main object, and looting generally is part of the raids,” a source said. “We have not found any trace of the 1600 young Chinese men and women who slipped over the Indonesian border over the past year or so.” “There are the ingredients among these young Chineseeducated Sarawak people for another guerrilla war on the Malayan or South Vietnamese pattern.” The United Nations team, which has the task of assessing the feelings of the people of North Borneo and Sarawak towards tiie proposed Malaysia Federation, today began work. The leader of the team, Mr L. V. Micheknore, saw the chairman of the anti-Malay-sia Sarawak United People's Party. Mr Ong Kee Hui. The nine-man team will split into two sections, one

going to North Borneo, and the other staying in Sarawak. The assessment team will not be able to complete its work by August 31, a United Nations spokesman announced today. Tliis means the postponement of the formation of Malaysia. The spokesman, Mr A. S Dajani, said one section of the mission which would make an assessment in North Borneo was expected to finish its worit in eight to 10 days.

Malaya’s observer for the Sarawak investigation arrived by air today, but there is still no news of observers from Indonesia or the Philippines. Asked if the release of the team’s Sarawak programme meant the team would go about its work without these observers being present, Mr Dajani said: “That is so." However, the team would be involved in planning and discussions in Kuching until next Thursday before it flies to its destination. In London it is reported that the British Government is ready to allow two observers each from Malaya, the Philippines and Indonesia into both North Borneo and Sarawak while United Nations teams are there. Indonesia wanted to send 30 observers. If Malaya and the Philippines were to send teams of similar sizes "this cculd create the absurd situation in which 90 persons would be engaged in watching the work of nine representatives." a Commonwealth Relations Office statement said. Instead, Britain had agreed to two observers from each of the three countries. Britain will also send two observers.