Revolution in Indonesia

...Revolution in Indonesia The Solution is Self-Government Within the Dutch Commonwealth By Boris Sapir In thia eocatladlag srtitls of the debate se Indonesia, which baa been earriai aa in The Norn IsaaW, Baaia Saaar omirsasss the viewpoint shared by the majority af the Dutch 8aclaliati and liberals...

...But the movement Itself had existed long before the Japanese occupation started...

...In October the Indonesian People's Army declared war on Holland, and military hostilities started On both sides...

...The well-known writer Mult at urn (Decker) voiced a deeply-felt sympathy for the natives smarting under the Dutch colonizers who tried to squeeze profits out of Indonesian riches...

...And yet it would be wrong to regard Soeksrno as a msre Quisling...

...Progressive public opinion in the Netherlands was unremittingly opposed to certain aspects of this policy...

...Lawrence Griswold argued that the majority af IniTnisisas aa net wish eseapleta independence, snd that their interests ere heat served by dominion status within the Dutch Commonwealth...

...As a matter offset, such severance would be harmful not only to Holland but to Indonesia which nseds European help, and by breaking with Holland might become • dependency of Other nations With which she hsi no historical ties and which are primarily bent on crowding Holland out of her privileged position...

...It protects the Communists sgsinst ths chsrge of being unpatriotic, snd st ths same time presents them ss ths sincere friends of colonist peoples...

...It declared its willingness to realize the program set forth by Queen Wilhelmlna in December of 1942, which promised to the Dutch Indies equal partnership in the Commonwealth as well as self rule in Indonesia...

...Leading groups of nationalists opposed the declaration of war on Holland by the People's Army...

...Granting self-government to Indonesia and making her an equal member of ths Dutch Commonwealth would constitute s step in thia direction...

...However paradoxical this may sound, the growth of the nationalist movement in Indonesia came as a result of ths Dutch colonial policy which implanted there European civilization and modern ideas...

...After the landing of British troops, the Allied Commander in Indonesia, Philip Christison, declared that his only purpose was the liberation of Allied War prisoners and the disarming of tha Japanese...

...In Holland this situation aroused violent reaction...

...Even in October the National Committee deprived Soekarno of legislative power...

...It disregards the opposition of conservative groups which demand a strong-arm policy in Indonesia, and has dismissed the former Governor General Tjarda van Starken-borgh Stachouwer, who had earned greut popularity by his courageous behavior during the Japanese occupation, but did not share the Government's policy in Indonesia, i • •' • ScHERMERHORN'S Government will go to great lengths in its endeavors to crests normal relations with Indonesia...

...Since the beginning of the disturbsnces in Java, progressive circles in Holland insisted on bringing about negotiations with s visw of creating a modus viv$ndi acceptable to the two parties...

...Information about the different trends within the ranks of the nationalists has been acarce, yet the realisation of the desirability of a friendly agreement with Holland ia obviously widespread among them...

...Nor did it svsil itself of the opportunity thst presented it-se.lf in 1930 when the nationalists were expecting reforms...

...It Is In the interest of world peace that organically dsveloped state' orgsnisms persist, snd thst they unite into s true United Nations .Organization, in order to avert ths "Balkanization" of the world...

...have met with sharp opposition on the pert of the Dutch liberal press...

...But by breaking the pledge given in 1022, the Government disappointed the iiat.innali.sts...

...It is not accidental that out of eleven members of the Sjarlr Government, seven attended institutions of higher learning in Holland...

...The present Dutch Government headed by Schemerhorn, a leader of the resistance movement during the German occupation, is fully aware of Hie fact that the old colonial policy is obsolete...

...But it made ths restoration of order in Java a prerequisite for these reforms...

...On August 17 the Commission was actually appointed, with Soekarno as President and Mohammed Hatta as Vice-President...

...I N the eyes of the Dutch, Soekarno was an objectionable figure because of the role which he had played during the Japanese occupation...

...Another Dutchman, van Cool, a leader of the Social Democratic Party, headed his party's opposition to colonial exploitation since before the first World War...

...On May 5, 1945, after the surrender of Germany, he hailed "the valiant German nation," and on May 8 called upon the Javanese to ignore the ultimstum which ths Allies hsd served on Jspsn in Potsdam...

...In response to Laaki's denunciation of the Dutch policy in Indonesia, the Can-tral Committee of the Dutch Social Democratic Party adopted a resolution saying in part: "Self-government and equal rights of ths natives in all parts of the Empire are principles to the accomplishment of which the party has aspired for a long time, and which are acknowledged by the present Government...

...It is equally wrong to consider tha revolutionary movement sweeping Java as k result of Japaness intrigue alone...

...It is true that Japan played a considerable role in forming armed outfits of nationalists...

...Much water has flowed under the bridge since that time...

...She spared no effort to use the nationalist movement for her own purposes...

...The following facts may serve to characterize thia role...

...The Emperor awarded him a decoration for collaboration with the Japanese occupation authorities...

...Striving for the liberation of Greater • Asia, ha declared, japan intended to in-' elude in it Indonesia, and thus liberate her from the yoke of European imperialists...

...The cultural role played by the Dutch in Indonesia is tremendous, even though their policy had many dark features...

...Meanwhile Japan capitu-| leted, and on August 19 the Commission Issued s proclamation announcing the establishment of ths Indonesian Republic, elected Soekarno President and Hatta Vice-President of the Republic, and decided to form a National Committee temporarily to discharge ths functions of s popular representation...

...In the view of competent observers both In 11..Hand snd Indonesia, ha ia fanatically devoted to tha ideal of his country's independence, and ruthless in the ohoire of means for the achievement of hia goal...

...The policy of the Dutch Government in Indonesia which has been carried out by Governor General van Mook has also been supported by tha Communist Psrty...

...Its congress held lost January resolved to communicste to the Government its approval of vsn Monk's policy...

...The number of these troops, even after the arrival of reinforcements, never exceeded 3,000 men...

...Ia the flrat article, Oawald Garrison Villard argued that after decades af issperialiat exploitation, aapported by political tyranny, Indonesia has now earned the right to political independence...

...The situstion became alarming owing to the high-handedness of the armed nationalists, who terrorized Europeans and Dutch sympathisers among natives, turned the British and Dutch whom the Japanese hsd held in concentration campa into hostages, and launched a aeries of asssults against British occupation forces...

...Ths administration of Java waa taken over by republican organs with ths support of police forces earlier organised by tha Japanese, who for this purpose armed Indonesians under Japanese officers...

...In the 20th century the situation in the Dutch Indies has favorably differed from that in Other colonial possessions...

...Ho Insisted thst thers wss only one road open to ths Jsvsnese, that of fighting jointly with Jspsn under the banner of Independence...

...In November Sutan Sjahrir was appointed Premier, snd the prospects for direct contact between the revolutionists and the Dutch Government con-aiderably improved...

...The war only strengthened it and made reforms in the relations between Indonesia and Holland imperative...

...In November, 1943, Soekarno went to Japan to pay tribute to the memory of the Japanese who had fallen for the'liberation" of Java...

...But it will not sgree to the severance of the tics existing between thsm...

...Had the Netherlands Government, in the interim between the two World Wars, proved capable of overruling the influence of pressure groups, and had it paid heed to the just aspirations of the growing nuioualist movement, then harmonious relations between Indonesia and the motherland would have been achieved easily...

...AU August 7, 1MB, Igoetoji, head I 1 of the Japanese propaganda office, announced bis government's decision to fonp a Provisional Commission far thai independence of Indonesia...

...The Dutch Government flatly declined to hava anything to do with Soekarno...

...British occupation forces — ths 28rd British Indian Division, 2,000 msn strong —Isnded in Indonesia on Sept...

...Stressing the cultural and economic beneflt derived by Indonesia front her association with the Netherlands, Sapir supports the policy of the present Government of the Netherlands...

...Under the existing circumstances, the objectives of ths Indonssisn national movement can be best achieved within the framework of the Dutch Commonwealth...

...They correspond to the Ideals of respect toward man «nd of equality, a which have been the tenets of intema-tionsl Social Democracy...

...Tha occupation was confined to Batavia and Surabaya, while Japanese ammunition dumps, which were located mainly in central and eastern Java, fell into tha hands of extreme nationalists...

...A week later, st a meeting organised by the Communist Party in Amsterdam, its Secretary, P. de Groot, declared that the Dutch Communists supported the Government's policy In Indonesia, but rejected violent measures...

...The policy pursued by the Schermerhorn Government is simsd st stopping bloodshed snd st preventing Its recurrence In the future...

...This struggle reached a climax when General Mallaby was shot and killed during the negotiations concerning the disarmament of irregular nationalist forces...

...Troops under his command, he stated, would not interfere in Indonesian internal affairs, and would not try to help the Dutch restore their pre-Wsr rights., Christison left Soeksrno at < the helm, and expressed the desire to negotiate with him...

...Soekarno maneuvered the revolutionary movement into an impasse from which there wss no other way out than blood-ahed, equally dangerous for both ths poung republic snd ths Dutch Empire...

...Such sets of ths British troops as tha razing of ths village of Bakes...

...In a broadcast beamed in July, 1944, Soekarno -expressed Indonesia's loyalty to the Koiso Government, and readiness to make every sacrifice for the sake of Japanese victory...

...This resolution, while svsding ths msin issue, kills two birds with ons stone...