MEETING PROHIBITED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26778, 22 May 1948, Page 7

MEETING PROHIBITED

REPUBLICAN CONGRESS IN INDONESIA ACTION BY GOVERNMENT N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright Rec. 11 p.m. BATAVIA, May 21. The Dutch and non-Republican Indonesian’ Provisional Government, in its first decree, authorised the head of the temporary civil service to prohibit the Republican -congress scheduled to be held in Batavia on May 24 to 26. The congress was described by Republicans as a counter to what they said was the Dutch-instigated convention beginning in Bandung on May 27. According to the decree, the Bggavia congress was to discuss NetherlandsIndonesian union, the, United States of Indonesia, and the interim Government. It said the initiative for the congress originated with persons belonging to, or closely connected with the Republican Government, and consequently the hospitality granted that organisation in Batavia was being used for political agitation in territory under Netherlands control. It said tfc-e Congress would serve for the preparation for action which could lead only to confusion and unrest, and must be considered as undermining law and order, and the possibility of reaching agreement with the Republican Government. An official statement issued with the decree said democratic freedom was only rudimentarily present in the Republic and all political convictions would be adequately represented at Bandung, where the convention was fully entitled to decide the Unitarian structure for Indonesia.