Cablegram 434 CANBERRA, 6 August 1947, 2 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Djocjakarta Radio this morning at 4.15 broadcast what was described as an official report from the Republican Government to the President of the Security Council protesting against a number of violations of the cease fire order. The report claimed that operations carried out by the Dutch were confirmed by broadcasts by the Dutch Radio in Batavia although they were described as mopping up operations. Djocjakarta Radio repeated its request to the Security Council to send within the shortest possible time a supervisory body appointed by the Council consisting of the representatives of several countries. For your information the following is a summary from unconfirmed sources available to us of what appeared to be main Dutch violations of the Council’s cease fire order:-
1. PURWAKARTA (PUWOKERTO) AREA:
The Dutch consolidated themselves in this area after 1st August and claimed its capture in a communique of 3rd August. Actually the city seems virtually to have fallen on 1st August.
2. TJILATJAP AREA:
The capture of this port was claimed on 3rd August by the Dutch.
In a communique of 4th August the Dutch stated that they had occupied Kroja and Sumpiuh, towns in the vicinity of Tjilatjap.
3. MADURA:
The Dutch landed on Madura on 4th August to take ‘safety measures’. Their communique of 5th August stated the progress had been made in ‘clearing actions’ on Madura. It is reported here today that the Indonesians shot down a Dutch plane in this area on 5th August.
4. NORTH JAVA:
The Dutch communique of 5th August stated that progress had been made in ‘clearing actions’ in North Java and in particular that Grisse, a town 10 miles north west of Sourabaya, had been occupied.
5. CENTRAL JAVA:
Dutch communique of 5th August stated that Gombong, 20 miles east of Banjumas, had been occupied.
6. SUMATRA:
Communique of 5th August claimed that towns to north of Padang and south east of Medan were captured.
You should follow up the statement referred to in paragraph 3 of your UN722 [1] by impressing on the Council the urgency in view of the obvious violations of its directions of having first hand information rather than unconfirmed and biased reports from both sides which will further poison the already tense atmosphere. Our view is that increased Dutch military action after decision of Council for ‘immediate’ cessation of hostilities is in itself flagrant violation of Council decision and ‘Police action’ to maintain law and order cannot be accepted by Security Council as being within its decision.
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1 Document 244.
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[AA:A1838/274, 854/10/4, ii]