BAD NIGHT IN JAVA

Evening Star, Issue 25617, 18 October 1945, Page 5

BAD NIGHT IN JAVA

RACIAL HATRED TRIUMPHS INDONESIAN YOUTH OUT OF HAND GURKHAS ENGAGED IN PITCHED BATTLE (Rec. 2 p.m.) BATAVIA, Oct. 17. Extremists among the Indonesian Nationalist Youth movement got completely out of hand in many areas in Java to-night, killing and looting in frenzied zeal to show their hatred of the Europeans, says the Associated Press corresepondent in Batavia. At Depok 15 Netherlands Christians and Indonesians were killed. Gurkhas fought a pitched battle with 800 rioters,' Sixty Gurkhas at one place held off a mob for hours until. 300 reinforcements arrived. The British authorities finally reported the situation to be in hand. Officers said the insurgents had some medium light machine guns, and were reported to be using hand grenades. >. % British and Indian troops have taken over the control of Bandoeng, replacing the Japanese, who will be interned. General Cristison said he would hold Dr Soekarno responsible for violent disturbances. Dr Soekarno, however, refuses to take responsibility. In fact, according to a Nationalist spokesman, Dr Soekarno is scouring the country in an attempt to persuade the people to win freedom by peaceful means. Meanwhile the Dutch are continuing to land troops, arms, and relief supplies. At present the Dutch forces in Java are unofficially estimated at 5,000.