Text of telegram to the Security Council dated 15th January. [1]

Begins. On the 15th January, 1949, in accordance with arrangements
reported to the Security Council on 11th and 13th January, the
Committee of Good Offices visited 6 Republican Ministers and
officials detained on the Island of Bangka: Vice President Hatta,
Chairman of the Republican Delegation Roem, Minister of Education
Sastroamidjojo, Air Commodore Suriadama, Chairman of K.N.I.P.

(Provisional People's Representative Body) Assaat and State
Secretary Pringgodigdo. They are detained on the top of an
isolated hill near Muntok.

2. The Committee had been informed by the Acting Chairman of the
Netherlands Delegation [2] on 14th January that 'The Government of
Indonesia at this juncture cannot see its way to permit member of
the Republican delegation to accompany the Committee of Good
Offices on their forthcoming visit to Bangka on January 15th,
1949. It is intended shortly to revert to the possibility for
members of the Republican delegation now in Batavia to pay a visit
to Bangka.'
3. Ministers and officials brought to the Island by 31st December,
1948, are detained in large building. They have one doorless
bedroom, six metres by six metres, in which are located six beds,
in addition, they were originally allowed area of four metres by
ten metres wired off from large reception room. Since 12th
January, this wire has been removed and the entire reception room
nineteen metres by sixteen metres is open to their use. They are
permitted limited access to roof under guard. All windows are
enclosed by wire netting, as is the area around the door. Guards
are on duty in sentry boxes immediately outside. They are not
permitted to leave wired areas. Up to two days before the visit of
the Committee when some additional furniture was installed there
were only chairs and two tables.

4. On 10th January, Ministers and Officials were visited by Mr.

Brouwer, described as Crown Commissioner in Medan, and as personal
representative of High Crown Representative. Mr. Brouwer asked
them to sign a pledge to refrain from political activities and
assured them if they gave such pledge they would be given freedom
to move about Bangka and their families would be permitted to join
them. None gave this pledge.

5. The Vice President and others expressed concern at the fact
that Mr. Brouwer indicated that the High Representative of the
Crown [3] no longer recognized either the legal existence of the
Republic or the official status of its servants. The Committee
assured the group that so far as the Security Council and the
Committee were concerned, the Republic was still a party to the
dispute.

6. Ministers and Officials have been kept generally informed as to
the progress of events and activities of the Security Council.

They may listen to radio reports, are given copies of Bangka
Indonesian Press, Dutch language magazines, and Batavia
newspapers, the latter somewhat delayed. They have not received
any reports or other documents either from the Republican
Delegation or from the Committee. The Committee left with them its
recent reports and various publications including Republican
reviews of Indonesian Press.

7. The Vice President and other officials presented at length the
Republican position with reference to military action and
controversies between parties. It was agreed, however, that
Republican position could be more effectively presented in writing
and that the Committee would not attempt to forward informal oral
expressions of opinion. The group requested they be supplied with
certain additional documents needed in the prep-aration of their
statement, and that they be visited by three members of the
Republican Delegation present in Batavia, so that statement can be
properly prepared. The Committee indicated its willingness to
forward such statement to the Security Council and will use its
Good Offices with the Netherlands to procure the granting of the
above requests so that early preparation and transmission of
report will be possible. The Chairman of the Republican delegation
submitted a written report on experiences of internees since
December 19th which the Committee will forward by airmail.

8. Since 5th January, Ministers and Officials have been permitted
to write to their families. Letters are handed to local guard
unsealed. One reply has been received. They are permitted to
communicate only with their families.

9. Political proposals have been made to the Ministers and
Officials, other than request to sign pledge (see paragraph 3
above).

10. The group heard the radio report of pending visit by Committee
on 11th January. On 14th January they were told by Netherlands
official that Committee would come next day.

11. The Vice President stated that at Cabinet meeting held from
0900 to 1100, 19th December, during the assault on Djokjakarta,
the President and Cabinet [4] on all matters in which the
President, Prime Minister and Members of the Regular Cabinet are
not free to act. The Vice President also stated that the
Republican representative to the Security Council has full
authority to act on his own initiative in the absence of further
instructions from his Government.

12. On 16th January, Committee received letter from the Acting
Chairman of the Netherlands Delegation as follows:

'I hear with surprise that orders given concerning personal
freedom of circulation in Bangka for Mr. Hatta and other prominent
personalities have not been put into force. I have at once
ascertained cause of this regrettable state of affairs. It is, as
you know, entirely in contradiction with instructions given on
this point and which are being repeated today by telegram. In
order to avoid any further misunderstanding, I have the honour to
inform you that two high Netherlands Officials will leave for
Bangka early tomorrow by special plane, with specific mission to
see that no obstacles are placed to free movement and circulation
in Bangka for above mentioned personalities.'