Departmental Dispatch Hag 57/48 THE HAGUE, 1 November 1948

CONFIDENTIAL

SUBJECT: DUTCH NEW GUINEA

With reference to your memorandum No. 123 (file 336/1) [1] dated
12th October, 1948, it was announced here in the press on the 13th
September that the Dutch Federations of New Guinea Organisations,
comprising nine Societies in the Netherlands and Indonesia, had
presented an address to the Dutch Government asking that the
status of a Crown Colony be granted to New Guinea before the
establishment of the Indonesian Interim Federal Government and
before the United States of Indonesia were formed de jure on
January 1st, 1949.

2. It was urged in the address that the official plans for the
settlements at Manokwari and elsewhere should be put into effect
as soon as possible in order to lay the foundations for the
migration of Indonesians in social difficulties, Indo-Europeans
and also Netherlanders from Holland.

3. It was suggested that the political internees should be used to
open up roads in the interior of New Guinea and especially to the
mountainous centre which would provide the best chances for
successful settlement by Netherlanders from the home country.

4. The economic rights of present and future settlers in New
Guinea including ground and water rights, concessions, labour
laws, regulations for the admission of Indonesians and aliens,
should be regulated by law. This should be based on existing Dutch
legislation, regulations operative in the neighbouring Australian
territory and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Particularly those regarding the treatment of undeveloped peoples
should be taken into account to ensure approval both of the
Security Council and of the members of the South Pacific
Commission.

5. I enclose:-

ANNEXURE A A press report from Batavia which appeared here on 21st
September which deals with the plan for developing New Guinea. [2]

ANNEXURE B A press report from Batavia dated 8th October,
concerning a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister, Mr Drees. [3]

ANNEXURE C A press report from Amsterdam dated 24th October,
concerning a lecture delivered by Professor C.T. Bertling. [4]

6. Recently Dr. W.K.H. Feuilletau de BRUYN, a former member of the
N.E.I. VOLKSRAAD and now editor of the NIEUW-GUINEA TIJDSCHRIFT,
called to ask for copies of the 'Pacific Islands Monthly'. While
here he expressed alarm at the growing Communist infiltration into
South East Asia. To save New Guinea, he was of the opinion that
the Government should take immediate steps to grant Crown Colony
status outside the influence of United States of Indonesia. He was
anxious to see New Guinea develop as a 'Christian' country which
would supply a home for Dutch and Indo-Europeans from Indonesia
and also Dutch emigrants from here. Dr. de Bruyn's views on the
Indonesian situation as a whole were very conservative but his
remarks are passed on to you for what they are worth.

7. It is noticeable that public interest in New Guinea is
increasing but I still doubt whether the Government has taken any
decision as to its political status.