RENEWAL OF JAVA HOSTILITIES

Grey River Argus, 17 September 1948, Page 5

RENEWAL OF JAVA HOSTILITIES

BATAVIA, Sept. 15 The Indonesian Republicans’ new agency stated that the fighting last Monday at Surakarta, Republican Central Java, in which 14 Indonesians were killed and 10 kidnapped, was between several units of' the Republican Army. The Dutch have issued a communique saying that from now on it was intended to fight Communist activities with all lawful means. The communique has followed a broadcast last week by the Republican Communist, Muso, who called on Indonesians to kill the Dutch and take theii weapons.

A message from The Hague says the Netherlands Indies Government has banned Communist Party activities in Indonesia.

It is reported that Dr van Mook will shortly be replaced as Lieutenant Governor-General,

Indonesian Premier Turns Against Soviet Ideology

(Rec. 11.20) BATAVIA, Sept. 16 The Indonesian Rpublican, Government was not convinced that it could embrace the Soviet doctrine, so the Premier, Mr Hatta, told a plenary session of the Republican Parliamentary Working Committee at Jogjakarta. He was answering several members who, at an earlier session, had .advocated closer ties with Russia. Mr Hatta said that Russia was an exponent in defending the liberation of colonial countries —of action based on Russia’s ideology. But it should not be construed that this republic, in dealing with a problem which specifically was its own, was obliged simply to follow in the footsteps of Soviet Russia, whose history indicated a zigzag course in conformity with conditions that it had encountered. The Soviet Union had changed its policy seven times in the establishment of the existing regime. Mr Hatta said that a veteran Indonesian Trotsky Communist, Tan Malakka, was acquitted yesterday on a two-year-old charge of subversive activity, and had been released from gaol. Observers in Batavia said that it was now expected that Tan Malakka would lead the People’s Revolutionary Movement against the official Indonesian Communists.