Westerling’s Rebels Said To Be Massing North Of Bandoeng

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27300, 28 January 1950, Page 7

Westerling’s Rebels Said To Be Massing North Of Bandoeng

INDONESIAN UNREST:

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright

Rec. 11.20 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 27. Reuter’s Bandoeng correspondent says that troops of Wosterling’s “Army of the Heavenly Host ” and of the fanatical Moslem Darul Islam army were today massing north of Bandoeng, according to reports reaching Indonesian and Dutch Army headquarters. A large Darul Islam force is also reported to be encircling Tasikmalaja, a large town south-east of Bandoeng.

In an interview with the United Press correspondent “ somewhere in Western Java ” today, Captain Turk Westerling, the rebel leader, warned that “large-scale fighting will soon break out in Western Java.” He said: “I do not think the fighting will last long—maybe about three months.” Westerling said: “ I know I am going to win. I am not trying to set myself up as a war lord. I am not trying to form my own Government —I am only trying to help the people. I am trying to remove Japanese influence from TNI (Tentara National Indonesia)—the old Republican Army as distinct from: the new Indonesian Army. I have tried everything I could to 1 avoid clashes, but it is not possible to avoid them, because TNI is still operating under Japanese mentality. They terrorise the people.” Westerling is a barrel-chested man with black hair and black eyes, dark complexion, and an aquiline nose. He is a blunt-spoken man of Dutch-Turk-ish parentage. Westerling went on: “Four days after the transfer of sovereignty, on December 27, I held conversations with TNI officers. We agreed to work together to maintain law and order in West Java. I have kept my word. I have tried to work with TNI, but they did not.”

Westerling said the situation had deteriorated, and he sent a note of warning to TNI to recognise his forces. He said he had set February 12 as the date for recognition, and he did not want responsibility for what happened •'after that date. The Bandoeng raid was not exactly a demonstration, but a warning to show TNI where things stood. Westerling said his ultimate objective was to purge TNI of Japanese influence, and to help create a stable army of the United States of Indonesia.

“If TNI Is willing to work on a United States of Indonesia basis, and not a Jogjakarta-Republican basis, i am willing to help,” Westerling said. He added that he did not represent the Dutch people, but he did represent the Indonesians. “ That is where the Republicans make their mistake by accusing me of representing Dutch interests,” he said. When he gained his objective he would probably go to Turkey. Battle in Jakarta

A gun battle, possibly involving men under the command of Westerling, broke out in the centre of Jakarta today. Seven men were killed in the affray, and several more were wounded. The trouble started when shots were fired at Republican Army men who were combing Sawah, in the Besar area,' one of the most crowded localities in Jakarta.

Indonesian motorised patrols rolled towards the centre of the area where the firing started, and a number of suspicious persons, possibly connected with Westeriing’s army, were arrested. The Indonesian Prime Minister, Dr Hatta, was addressing a meeting celebrating India becoming a republic a few blocks away when the shooting broke out. The meeting went on uninterrupted, but heavily guarded by Indonesian Army men. The Military Governor today confirmed a report that the State Prime Minister of West Java, Anwaf Tjiokrowinato, had been taken into custody. Yesterday it was reported that Tjiokrowinato had been arrested with two other high Indonesian officials for implication in Westeriing’s revolt.