STILL UNDER FIRE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 305, 23 November 1945, Page 5

STILL UNDER FIRE

SHELLING OF SOURABAYA J APANESE SUSPECTED (N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright.) (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) BATAVIA, Nov. 22. Allied Headquarters state that the shelling of Sourabaya goes on night and day and the clearance of the port continues in the face of stubborn but ineffective Indonesian resistance. The British forces are now entering the prin-.' cipal residential quarters. British artillery fire is concentrating against gun positions and strongpoints outside the town. A West Yorkshire Regiment patrol reported seeing two Japanese sending over mortar fire. Their observers believe that Japanese gunners are superintending the Indonesian artillery fire, which is intense and accurate. Fighting broke out at Ambaratva, in Central Java, when Indonesians attacked and set fire to a civilian internment camp with mortars and ma-chine-guns. British and Gurkhas, after an overnight forced march, rescued thousands of women and, children who were endangered by the new battle. _ The situation in Bandoeng is reported to be tense. A British communique stated that, after a prolonged period of comparative quiet, there is now a serious outbreak of unrest there. Allied officers reported that the .Indonesians in Bandoeng were making determined efforts to interfere with Rapwi work.

TALKS CANCELLED, j The new Indonesian Cabinet called off its second meeting with Dr Van Mooli, which had been fixed for Tonight, on the grounds of what it calls “the present attitude” of the Dutch as expressed by the Dutch troops’ shooting of Indonesians and breaking into and setting fire to houses. •

A communique put out by the Indonesians says they are willing to negotiate with the British who have been , informed that the Indonesians will not attend tonight’s meeting at which, at Dr. Van Mook’s request, the British were not to have been present. Asked what indication they would accept that the Dutch attitude had changed, a representative of the Indonesian Cabinet said they wanted an order by the Dutch that their troops must cease all acts of shooting and arson against Indonesians, and the cessation of these acts. He pointed out that the Indonesians had ordered their own people to refrain from these acts against the Dutch, but the Dutch had not issued a.similar order. He said also that yesterday’s British announcement of the withdrawal of Dutch native troops from the Batavia area did not go' far enough. As much of the shooting was being carried out by white Duteh soldiers as by black troops. The spokesman said that when the Indonesian fire brigade tried to quell yesterday’s fire in the native quarter Dutch troops shot at the firemen. Another report says that General Dempsey, commander of the Allied land forces in South-East Asia has arrived in Java.