FULL RECOGNITION OF REPUBLIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23392, 26 December 1945, Page 5

FULL RECOGNITION OF REPUBLIC

Only Solution Of Java Problem Van Mook’s Report

By Telegraph—N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright (7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 24.

Dr. H. van Mook (Governor of the East Indies) is is reported to have told the Dutch Cabinet that full recognition for the Sjahrir Government was the only solution of the Indonesian problem, says the Amsterdam corresoondent of the Associated American Press. Dr. van Mook emphasised that nothing less would satisfy the Indonesians, who would not accent a limited form of self-government within the Dutch empire which Queen Wilhelmina nromised on December 7, 1942.

The Indonesian Government is tremendously popular and has the support of moderates and extremists, women’s groups and youth movements from every party in Java, says the Batavia correspondent of the Associated American Press, who accompanied Dr. Soekarno. Mr Sutan Sjarhih and other members of the Cabinet on a tour of the island. The party visited Dutch and Japanese internment camps, saw many mass meetings and inspected thousands of youths drilling with everything from machine-guns to wood-carved Tommy-guns. The correspondent considers that the internees could be removed from the interior at an early date. The Dutch are not ill-treated, but lack sufficient food and medicine. The Japanese are well fed. They are disarmed, but probably in some cases are still helping to train Indonesians.

The correspondent adds that the Indonesians are now sufficiently armed

and disciplined to ensure the sale delivery of all Japanese and Dutch to Allied hands. The Indonesians are running the country under great handicaps, but say they would welcome Dutch and Eurasian citizens and would compensate property owners who elected to leave Java. The 21-year-old Sultan of Solotone, Java’s richest and most influential prince, accompanied the Soekarno party and three other princes and pledged allegiance during the tour in spite of the fact that socialistic selfgovernment would probably end their reign.

Dr. Soekarno said the most pleasant surprise of the tour was the readiness with which extremists in East Java and elsewhere pledged full support for the Government.

The Indonesian Republican Government has undertaken to conduct safely and deliver to the Allies all Rapwi personnel in Central and East Java. British Casualties The British announced that the total casualties in Java to December 21 comprised 18 British officers and four other ranks, six Indian officers and 166 other ranks killed, 876 British and Indians wounded and 177 missing. Indonesian snipers at Kramat to-day wounded five airborne troops who were conducting a search in which they took 25 prisoners and captured a quantity of ammunition. Extremists attacked Allied brigade headquarters at Buitenzorg with grenades. Gurkhas clearing the north-eastern suburbs of Bondoeng took 70 prisoners. Father Christmas parachuted into the Rapwi camp at Buitenzorg. Cheering children rushed to greet him but discovered that “Santa” was a stuffed dummy filled with sweets from British Army and Air Force men. who gave up their rations.

Hospital Attacked One patient and two Indonesian servants were killed and six Indonesian servants wounded when extremists attacked a Red Cross hospital in the Kramat area, says the Batavia correspondent of the Associated Press. British tanks were employed to restore order and Kramat was placed out of bounds to British troops. A British communique announced that extremists shot up two Royal Air Force trucks in the Kramat area and killed one Dutch officer. One member of the Royal Air Force was wounded in the attack on the hospital, which commenced without warning. As bullets whizzed through the building the inmates sought cover in a kitchen at the rear. A patient who attempted to run out to warn the British and Indian guards was shot down Order was restored at dusk, after the arrival of tanks. Sporadic firing again broke out yesterday morning.