JAVA DEADLOCK

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1947, Page 5

JAVA DEADLOCK

INDONESIAN IDEA Economic Pressure (Rec. 6.40.) LONDON, Feb. 23. “The Times” Singapore correspondent says: Latest reports from Batavia say that a political deadlock there continues with the Dutch insisting on, and the Indonesians unanimously refusing to accept, the so-called “Jonkrnan interpretations” of the Cheribon agreement, which was initialled last November. One well-informed source describes the Dutch and Indonesians as being politically farther apart to-day than ever. Events in Indo-China has helped to stiffen the Dutch attitude but there does not seem any fear at present of any outbreak of hostilities such as has occurred in Tonking. Since taking over from the British, the Dutch have now enlarged all their Java and Sumatra bridgeheads, chiefly through an uninhibited use of air power and their Army’s prediction that the Indonesians would never stand up to bombing and strafing seems well founded. A “cease fire” order was recently issued by the Indonesian High Command. It appears to have been a tacit admission of military inferiority, its purpose being to avoid giving the Dutch any possible excuse for further expansion. The struggle is shifting from the military. to the economic sphere, and is becoming a long term war of economic attrition. Confident that they can deny Java’s produce to the Dutch, the Indonesians hope that sheer economic necessity will eventually force the Dutch to give way politically