INDONESIAN LEADER

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1945, Page 5

INDONESIAN LEADER

CALMS THE EXTREMISTS ’ \ ‘ BRITISH GENERAL WARNED LONDON, October 23. Dr. Soekarno, president of the “Indonesian Republic” has returned to Batavia after a tour of western Java. He said he believed he had succeeded oift calming down the extremists. He was considering a tour of central and eastern Java to pacify the restless elements there. A British Army spokesman reported that outside Batavia, Bandoeng, and Buitenzorg, Indonesian extremists continued to round up Europeans and Eurasians. Six Nationalist leaders have been arrested at Buitenzorg on charges arising from murders at the depot there •The Indonesian Nationalists yesterday announced that they had warned the commander of the Allied occupation forces (Lieutenant-General Christison) that it was beyond their power to ensure the safety of 250,000 Dutch and Eurasian residents of Java. The Nationalists claimed that endless bloodshed would ensure if more Dutch troops were landed. Taxing the Allied commander (Lieutenant-General Christison) with, having involved himself in internal politics, the Indonesian President (Dr. Soekarno) in a violent letter of protest, called on the general to desist from “a course of action which ■will ultimately result in drenching Indonesia in a blood bath.” The letter alleged that it was Lieutenant-Gen-eral Christison’s intention evidently to extend his protection to the Dutch until such time as they had built up a sizeable force, which would operate against the Indonesians. When that objective had been attained, the British would leave Indonesia, protesting that they had not taken sides. “Tension is mounting,” wrote Dr. Soekarno. “I and my fellow workers are experiencing the greatest difficulty in keeping the restive population in check. If the present tension remains, the task of calming the 'masses will be beyond us and the Left Wing and Radical elements will wrench the leadership from us. Even now such elements, Communist-mind-ed and Communist-led, are working for power. The Dutch underrate the spirit of the Indonesian people, and they cannot wage a long and bloody war. This is our country and we know every inch of it. The whole population will back us up.” Two British bomber squadrons, which have seen service in Burma, have arrived at Batavia. '

A Dutch destroyer has left Amsterdam for the East Indies and another is to sail on Thursday. The 36,000ton liner Nieuw Amsterdam is to sail on Wednesday for the East Indies carrying Dutch troops. At Semarang, Java’s third largest city, Gurkha troops are now in full control'. They have taken over the prisoner of war and internee camps. The inmates of the camps at Ambarawa, 28 miles south of Semarang, are also safe.

A British spokesman said that a mob killed 11 Dutch officers in mountainput territory between Batavia and Bandoeng. Extremists also killed nine Dutch nationals. They were spirited away from the prison at Euitzenzorg. Although order was being maintained in Semarang, bandits and extremists were still making trouble on the outskirts. ANGLO-U.S.A. INVESTIGATORS LONDON, October 23*. Mr. M. E. Denning, chief political adviser to the South-east Asia Com,mand, has arrived at Batavia to investigate the political situation on bel.half of Admiral Mountbatten. Brigadier rGeneral Robin Pope, American liaison officer to the command, is also studying developments. BrigadierGeneral Pope, who is accompanied by Mr. William Foote, a former American consul-general in Batavia, said: “We have no political interest in these islands. No American combat troops will be sent here.” He said they would talk with people representing all points of view, including members of the so-called National Government.

The Batavia correspondent of “The Times” denies the correctness of the contents of Dr. Soekarno’s cable message to President Truman, in which it was alleged that the Dutch in Java were “disguising” themselves in American uniforms. The correspondent says: “In the interests of i truth it should be pointed out that the only Dutchmen wearing American-style uniform (with their own distinctive badges of rank) are a handful of airmen equipped and trained in the United States and a limited number of Dutch officials from Australia. The vast majority wear British-style uniforms and their equipment is obtained from British or Australian sources. Dr. Soekarno’s cable was intended to rouse American opinion by suggesting that the Dutch .were reoccupying the Indies in an American disguise and with American material. The allegations levelled against the Dutch are absurd, although admittedly they are occasionally ‘trigger happy.’ The terrorism going on in Java at present is nearly all done in Dr. Soekarno’s name.”

INDIAN ESTIMATES LONDON, October 22. A message from Karachi says that Mr. Jinnah, president of the Moslem • League, declared that it would be a htragedy if Dutch imperialism were ,re-established. “The Moslem League Lis full of sympathy with all those countries which arc fighting and struggling for freedom and to end domination, exploitation, and imperialism,” he said. When action became necessary the Moslem League would be ready to join hands with any organisation to translate its sympathy jinto action. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, of the Indian Congress Party, called for immediate Allied recognition of a Provisional Government of Indonesia under Dr. Soekarno, and for the withdrawal of the British troops from the territory.

ALLIES AT SAIGON. SAIGON, October 22. The French aircraft-carrier Bearn arrived at Cap Saint Jacques, south of Saigon, with reinforcements, reports a British-French communique. Allied troops silenced snipers who fired on them from ridges across the river Cho. Indian troops made house to house searches in the suburb of Govap and found more arms and ammunition. JAPS. IN BURMA. LONDON, October 23. The Japanese 33rd Army in Burma has now surrendered all its arms and equipment to the 17th Indian Division, says the New Delhi radio. The disarming of the Japanese 28th Army is proceeding.