World View Of Events In Indonesia

Chronicle (Levin), 10 January 1949, Page 5

World View Of Events In Indonesia

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He'Celveti Mfifidayj 10.30 h-.in. LGNDON, Jan. 0. . Signs" are growing that Dutch opinion is becoming anxious about the way tlie world is vifewing "events in Indonesia and . the possible con'sequences of contmilifig to ignore th'e international interpretatiqn of Holland's recent "po'lice action," says Reuter's The Ha'g'ue cOrfespond'ent. The alrnbst uhdnim'bdS 'sUpport o'f the Press 'politicians -over tfie, Government's decision to "clean' up" the Republican territor'ies has given way to pleas for the Govfern^ment to do all possible to reach . agreement. Most papers are urging th'e rel'ease of the Republican le'aders. even thouah thev do not all

fe'el that new negotiations should be opened with them. Internment Criticised Most papers also criticise the "high handed" way in which men like the RJpubli'c&n President; Dr. Soekarno, ahd thfe' Pfehiier-, Mohamed H'a'tta, have b'eeh treated, but they blame the Dutch authorities in Batavia rathfer than The Plague for their continued internment. , The calling by. the Indian Trime 'Minister, Pandit Nehru, of the Asian conference oh Indonesia, and Austraiia's acceptahce of thfe ihvitatioh to this conference, have feontributed to the growing feeling of anxiety in Holland. Reuter's Batavia eorrespondent says that four o.f the most important Republican Government members are confined to Banka Island. F'our more are restticted to the Jogjakarta arfea, o'ne is abro'ad And six are.in hidin'g or with the guerrillas t'hroughout , Java and Suni-

atra. The true statfe of Republican political opinion has bec'ofiie vfei-y difficuit to aseertain. Though the tone of Dr. Soekarnh's letter to the Dutch guard commander did not escape some criticism in "Republican circies 'as being - t'oo* frieridly under thfe prfesfeht feircumstances, neverthfelfeSs slight chahge , in the Republican ofitlook has be- | come no'ticeablfe. Republican OUtlook The present tfendenCy sefems to be to acCfept the . physical facts of the existing situafion- as being bevond easv remedy- that is not 'to press for a major troop withdrawal, but instead to press for a rri'odification in the cbnstitutioh of the ipterim . Federal Government "to permit thfe Rfebjublicans to cooperate- Wi'thout ?fto'Q severe a strain on their prihciplps. The chang'es ..sU'ggested would effect .a reductio.n in the interim I powers of the Qrown representative and increase those of the interim Goverh'meht, with a fixed date for the trarisffer of sovfereignty. Meanwhile Republican and Dutch reports iiidicatfe th'at guerrilla activity by tlie Republican forces continues to be widespread in J ava and Sumatra.