FIGHTING IN JAVA

Southland Times, Issue 25835, 21 November 1945, Page 5

FIGHTING IN JAVA

NEW OUTBREAKS FEARED CALL FOR WAR ON BRITISH (Rec. 7 p.m.) BATAVIA, Nov. 19. British military officials fear that a new wave of fighting may break out in central Java, where thousands of armed Indonesian Nationalists are massing in response to the Jogjakarta Radio’s call for war on the British, reports the Associated Press correspondent in Batavia. A British statement said that the situation gave cause for anxiety in view of the extremely aggresx sive attitude of the local Extremists, both in Samarang and Jogjakarta. The official Dutch News Agency, ANITA, says that there are unconfirmed rumours that Army Indonesian Extremists at any moment will open a large scale offensive. Fighting was resumed in Batavia this morning in the Kramat and Parapatten areas. Samarang is reported to be seething with rmrest following British measures taken after the attack in which three British officers were killed and a Dutch woman wounded. Reuters correspondent says a Seaforth Highlanders’ patrol clashed with Indonesians near the Hotel des Galeries in Batavia. The extent of the casualties is not yet known. The bodies of a number of Indonesians were seen lying in the roadway. Indonesian anti-aircraft guns at Sourabaya continue to fire briskly at planes coming within range—mostly transport planes from Eastern Java, sent in to evacuate British wounded. A heavy explosion shook Sourabaya this afternoon. British Headquarters said it was probably an oil tank exploded by a mortar shell. A Bombay message states that Bombay mill and factory workers declared a one-day strike in sympathy with the Indonesian struggle for independence. BRITAIN’S TASK At a Press conference in Ottawa, Mr C. R. Attlee, the British Prime Minister, said that the Allied War Council had assigned Britain the task of clearing out the Japanese from Indonesia and of releasing internees and restoring order. “We took on this job and intend to carry it through and bring the Indonesians and the Dutch together to settle their differences,” Mr Attlee added.