JAVA UPRISING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26026, 14 December 1945, Page 5

JAVA UPRISING

FOSTERED BY ENEMY GENERAL’S ADMISSION REBEL SNIPING CONTINUES (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. According to an official announcement Major-general Yamamoto, who was chief of staff of the Japanese Sixteenth Army in Java, said he was mainly) responsible for fostering the Indonesian independence movement. Yamamoto was arrested last month and is now confined in Singapore gaol awaiting trial. The Allied food and munitions con-; voy which was held up at Soekaboemi after being attacked by Indonesian forces has resumed its journey with a strengthened escort provided by Gurkhas and has now reached Bandoeng. Sniping by Indonesians has held up another troop convoy at Buitenzorg until support can be provided by tanks. Troops pushing south of Surabaya reached Sidoaidjo, where 1500 Chinese were liberated. In order to maintain the British supply lines British troops have taken over all railway stations in the area of Batavia. The United States and not Britain would be under an obligation to suppress the Indonesian risings but for an agreement of the combined chiefs of staff just before Potsdam, says the New York Times Washington correspondent. To General Marshall's proposals on behalf of General MacArthur, who asked for the transfer of Indonesia to Lord Louis Mountbatten so that General MacArth'ur could give his whole attention to the invasion of the Japanese home islands and relieve the pressure on his left flank Lord Mountbatten objected, but in the interest of common strategy the transfer was ordered. As a result the British are now being forced to attack the Indonesians ■in order to carry out the V-J surrender terms. Thus Britain is subject to worldwide criticism which would have been lodged against America unless the United States reneged on the surrender terms.