INDONESIAN DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26963, 24 December 1948, Page 7

INDONESIAN DISPUTE

Dutch Stress Aim of Forming Federation SECURITY COUNCIL HEARING

NZPA—Copyright

PARIS, Dec. 23.

The declared aim of the Netherlands Government was freedom in Indonesia in a voluntary and equal partnership in a NetherlandsIndonesian union, in accordance with the Renville Agreement of January of this year, declared Mr Jan Herman Van Royen, the Dutch representative, when the United Nations Security Council began its special hearing of the Indonesian dispute yesterday.

“Irresponsible and extremist elements, however, have sabotaged all attempts at establishing an Indonesian Federal Government,” Mr Van Royen said. He gave an assurance that his Government would keep the Security Council informed of its attempts to form a federation in Indonesia, which would soon take its place in the community of nations. .

Mr van Royen said that the Republicans in Indonesia had repeatedly violated the truce, but the Netherlands would continue with all the. resources at its disposal to achieve constitutional order at the earliest possible moment. Mr van Royen told the. Council that now it was proving impossible to come to an agreement with the Republic of Indonesia," the Netherlands would carry out its pledge to render independent that part of Indonesia which was under its control. H said that recently at least 50 Indonesian civilians a week had been murdered by terrorists. He was prepared to show the Council orders to terrorists which had. come into Dutch hands “to attack Netherlands military posts and sabotage railway lines!” • He denied that the situation in

fire in Indonesia and the immediate withdrawal of Dutch troops to their side of the demilitarised zones establised under the truce.

“I must reiterate my Government’s view that the Council’s cease-fire order of August 1 has been violated by the recent armed action. taken by the Netherlands authorities,” he said. The Security Council adjourned without having reached a decision. The Council will meet again to-mor-row morning. Six countries—Britain, China, Russia, Australia, India, and Syria—had still to be heard.

Indonesia was a struggle between the Indonesian people seeking in-

dependence and a country holding to its overlordship. The fact was that an extremist group had he-

come a major influence in the Reand was creating a Government dictatorship “ opposed to democratic equality.” All parties were agreed that what used to be Netherlands East Indies should become an independent State as soon as possible, but there were deeprooted divergencies how. this should be ' organised “The real aim of the Republic is not. as pledged in the Renville agreement, to become .one of component parts in an Indonesian federation. but to incorporate the whole of Indonesia into a Republic,” he said. Two Courses for Dutch Mr van Royen said that two courses of action were open to the Netherlands Government:

1. To give in to the Republic, which v/ould have opened the path to control of Indonesia by an irresponsible minority.

2. To purge the terrorist bands and set up a provisional Government. It seemed essential to take the second alternative. “In Holland,” he said, “the whole nation, with the exception of the Communist Party, stands behind this choice.” ■

Mr van Royen submitted that the Security Council was not competent to deal with the Indonesian question on these three grounds:— 1. That the Charter dealt with relations between sovereign States.

2. That the matter was within the domestic jurisdiction of .the Netherlands.

3. That the situation did .not endanger international peace and security., .

“I understand the interest which countries like Australia, India and the Philippines take in the solution of the Indonesian question,” he said, “but that does not entitle the Security Council to intervene in an internal conflict within the limits of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”

Mr van Royen said the Netherlands Government was .willing to submit the Indonesian issue to the International Court of Justice.

Indonesia’s Claims

For Indonesia, Dr L. N.. Palar accused the Dutch of beginning a “second sneak war—a second Pearl Harbour,” and declared that if the conflict were not stopped at once it would go on for years with Republican guerrillas and scorched earth tactics. Dr Palar said the Netherlands military action was only final in the carefully worked out schedule of the Dutch Government. “This policy of defiance of. the United Nations, culminating ,in a second war in Indonesia, has been the intention of the Dutch from the very start,” he said. “ The goal of this policy has been

to try and strangle us 'politically and economically, and to finish the

job by a second 'military action.”

Dr Palar accused the Dutch of deliberately delaying negotiations because they needed time to carry out their policy of strangulation. All the time negotiations were going on the Dutch had imposed “ what they refer to as restrictions on trade and intercourse, and. what we call a blockade.” These restrictions violated the truce agreements “The crafty Dutch Government, having increased its forces in Java and feeling it had exhausted the Republic by the blockade, and by playing off against the Republic the States it established in the disputes areas, decided that this was the moment to launch an all-out attack and wipe out the Republic,” he declared. “How wrong they are, how downright stupid and blind their policy is, they will find out, but at a cost that not only they, but the whole world, will learn to regret.” Dr Palar said the Dutch had emphasised their willingness to negotiate, but only if the Republic accepted the Dutch .terms. He quoted a Dutch Government letter to the Republican, Premier, Dr Mohammed Hatta, which stated that “only an immediate and binding declaration by the Republic that, it will agree with the Dutch conditions will lead to the resumption of negotiations.” This, said Dr Palar. was a “ fantastic negotiation in the Dutch manner.” It was impossible for the Republicans to believe or trust, the Dutch. Seen as Turning Point Dr Palar continued: “This council meeting is the turning point for the future of my country. ' It is equally the turning point for the Netherlands. Holland is now gambling away her future in Indonesia, gambling away her economic and political well-being and her international prestige “This meeting is also crucial for the maintenance of stability and peace in South-East Asia, since there can be no doubt of the strong reverberations of the trouble that the Dutch have started so heedlessly.” • • ■ Dr Palar said a cease-fire order alone would not meet the situation, because the use of airborne troops enabled the Dutch to cut deeply into Republican territory. It was therefore essential that the Dutch immediately withdraw their troops to former positions. He asked that the .implementation of the order be supervised by the Uood Offices Committee’s military observers , Dr Phillip Jessup (United States) arged the Security Council to deal twiftly with the situation.

He said the United States Government failed to find any justification for a renewal of military operations in Indonesia.

It was not a situation where there could be any uncertainty whether there had been a breakdown of the truce agreement. The Dutch Govern ment had formally officially announced that it renounced the truce agreement it had signed with the Indonesian Republic Government. Dr Jessup, supported by Columbia and Syria, called on the Security Council to order an immediate cease-