Savingram K2 BATAVIA, 12 December 1949

SECRET

My Cablegram K.351. [1]

Arrangements under the Indonesian National Preparatory Committee
are making good progress and it can now be said that the most
adequate provisions possible in the time available will be made in
all respects necessary to ensure a smooth takeover of Governmental
responsibilities. In general the administration will remain in
Dutch hands, the Indonesians merely taking over as Heads of
Departments.

Military Affairs
2. Leimena, Chairman of the Security Committee, reports that the
Dutch have now agreed to meet the Indonesians' minimum
requirements in regard to arms and ammunition. Difficulties in
this field have been partly political, in that the Dutch
authorities were chary of handing over supplies before the
Netherlands Parliament should have approved The Hague Agreement,
and partly due to the reluctance of the Dutch Quartermaster-
General's Department to release its stores. However, Defence
Minister Fockema Andreae and Lovink have taken responsibility for
the decision and supplies are expected to start moving this week.

In most cases local Dutch Commanders have made the necessary
agreements with local TNI commanders and in some areas are
reported to have anticipated authority and already begun to
transfer supplies.

3. The KL and KNIL concentration rayons are to be discussed at the
local level and the local arrangements then referred to the
Security Committee for approval. Simatupang is confident that
there will be no difficulties in this respect.

4. Discussions on the re-organization of the KNIL are also making
good progress, largely because certain senior KNIL officers have
been relieved of their normal duties and attached to the
Indonesian Security Committee. The TNI and the KNIL are thus
working out together the KNIL re-organization scheme and will put
this up to the Dutch as an Indonesian proposal. It is unlikely
that progress will be sufficient for any KNIL units to move over
to the R.I.S. Army at the time of transfer, but it is expected
that the re-organization scheme will be published within a
fortnight after this and the liquidation of the KNIL commenced
immediately.

Security Arrangements
5. Republican Intelligence indicates dissident elements of
sufficient strength to be a source of trouble, to be concentrated
as follows:-

(1) There are groups, believed to be mainly Tan Malacca followers,
outside most of the major cities in Java. The Republicans feel
that if security measures for the cities do not include the supply
of adequate armament then these groups will move into the cities
at the time of transfer and create disturbances. Should supplies
be made available then it is expected that the groups will reserve
their strength for later operations.

(2) In Pasundan the situation is as reported in my cablegram No.

K.351.

(3) In Sumatra the main danger comes from three strong battalions
of Communists, supplied from the Malay Peninsula. These are
concentrated in the Medan-Riouw area.

(4) Groups claiming to be Republican supporters have been causing
disturbances in South and East Borneo and in the Makassar area. A
small Republican mission will be sent within the week to Borneo to
investigate and the Sultan of Jogja will visit East Indonesia
before the transfer, with the concurrence of Anak Agung.

Alimin's Communist movement, incidentally, is not expected to
cause any trouble but believed to be pursuing a long term policy
of political opposition, trade union penetration, etc.

6. The Sultan, in his capacity as Co-ordinator of Security, made a
tour of Java this week with the most satisfactory results. With
the agreement of the Negaras, Republican Military Governors have
been installed in both Pasundan and East Java. The Semarang
Recomba area has also been included in the territory of the
Republican Military Governor of Central Java. These officers will
be directly responsible to the Sultan for all Security matters.

These arrangements have considerably eased the recent tension
between the Negaras and the Republic and the position of the
Negaras is no longer a major political issue.

7. In Sumatra, the Negara of East Sumatra, after having pressed
throughout the last four months for the withdrawal of the TNI, has
now agreed that the TNI Lt. Col. Kawilarang take over the
territorial command. A similar arrangement will probably be made
for South Sumatra. The Sultan will commence a two-day visit to
Sumatra tomorrow.

8. Following these arrangements and the Dutch promise to supply
armament, the Indonesians are confident that they will be able to
deal with disturbances, though they would feel more secure if more
arms and ammunition were forthcoming. When in Pasundan, the Sultan
issued an emphatic warning that he would take immediate and
vigorous action to deal with disorders and it can be expected that
though disorders will certainly occur, they will be less serious
and will be suppressed more firmly than appeared likely one or two
weeks ago.

9. Security arrangements for the large towns are complete and I
shall forward details by the next bag. Because of the debate in
the Netherlands Parliament, the Dutch have requested a two day
postponement of the entry of the TNI; this will now commence
officially on December 17. There is no decision so far as to the
role of the Milobs, but it is possible that they will be requested
to supervise the handover in the major cities, as in the
evacuation of Jogja.

Provisional Government
10. At the request of the B.F.O., the Committee to elect the
President and appoint the cabinet formateurs will meet in Djocja,
and the appointment of the Provisional Government and Parliament
will take place there. The proceedings are now expected to be
finished by December 17, after which a small Delegation under
Hatta will proceed to Holland on about December 20 to receive
sovereignty. Present arrangements provide for a simultaneous
ceremony in Batavia whereby Lovink will formally hand over the
local administration to members of the Provisional Cabinet and
then will proceed immediately to Holland. Sukarno will arrive one
or two days later and within the week a day will be set aside for
official celebrations.

11. Cochran will attend the proceedings in Indonesia as American
member of the Commission. Herremans will probably also attend.