APPEAL TO AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27514, 7 October 1950, Page 7

APPEAL TO AUSTRALIA

Intervention In Ambon Conflict

INDONESIAN INVASION

NZPA—Reuter—Copyright JAKARTA, Oct. 5. An appeal to Australia to intervene in the Ambon conflict was broadcast over Radio Ambon tonight. The radio also appealed to the United Nations to punish the Indonesian aggression in Ambon.”

The United Nations Commission for Indonesia announced in Jakarta that, in accordance with a request from the Dutch Government, it was considering what steps it could take to assist in achieving a cessation of hostilities on Ambon.

Meanwhile, well-informed sources in Jakarta tonight claimed that the Ambon fighting was “ all over bar the shouting.” The Indonesian Army is understood to have thrown eight battalions of troops into the Ambon campaign. The President, Dr Achmed Soekarno. in a broadcast commemorating the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Indonesian armed forces blamed the Netherlands for what he called “ the Bandung, Macassar and Amboina affairs.” Dr Soekarno made no reference to the present Indonesian military offensive against Ambon. He accused the Dutch of “hanging on to Western New Guinea simply and solely because there is a sentiment among the Dutch to preserve the position of the Netherlands kingdom as a ‘big Power’ with colonies in the East as well as in the West.” ■The President declared that there was only one part of Indonesia where the people could not celebrate Armed Forces’ Day and he added: “With all our hearts, all our souls, all our determination, and all our spirit that is brimming over with a holy national fire we hope that next year the people in Western New Guinea will be able to celebrate Armed Forces’ Day in a free and independent atmosphere.”