West N.G. Affected

By Indo. Chaos

AUSTRALIAN newspaper reports in early November indicated no lessening in the chaotic politico economic conditions which are causing revolutionary uprisings in Indonesia.

The reports showed three main areas of disaffection Northern Sumatra, where forces of the official army have been trying for six weeks to suppress a large rebellion by ex treme Islamic forces; Western Java, where bandit chiefs are said to have entered into an alliance with the fanatical Dar-ul-Islam sect; and a large section of the Celebes [slands.

It is almost impossible to make sharp distinctions between the /arious parties seeking power in [ndonesia —but they appear mainly to consist of the official (or Re- Dublican, or Nationalist) party, vhich nominally controls the Gov ernment ; large sections of rebelli ous Moslems, plus parties of dis organised banditry; and a kind of rrade Union organisation which is /ery deeply penetrated by Com nunism.

These parties overlap and mix in ill directions. The one factor that itands out clearly is the growing weakness of the official Govern ment as compared with the increased itrength of the dissident Moslems md the Communists (who are nutually antagonistic).

New Guinea especially, and the south Seas generally, are affected »y these developments, because In lonesia provides a natural bridge letween Asia and the South Pacific, md especially because there is ilways a possibility that this irre ponsible Indonesian Government, n a last desperate bid for power, (ml try to unite Indonesia in an i.ttack upon the Dutch administra ion in Western New Guinea. rHE present Indonesian adminis tration (formed in August after the collapse of the Wilipo “Gov ernment”) has on several occasions ately issued belligerent statements nsisting that Western New Guinea lelongs of right to Indonesia, and he Dutch must get out. It is quite jossible that, if it had the forces ivailable, this set-up would make a ormal move against Western New >uinea—thus precipitating a crisis yhich would involve Australia, Jmted States and the United Nations —but it is in such a state >f disorganisation that it is probably ncapable of making such a move.

The danger is there, however, md the indications are that the J owers immediately concerned—the Netherlands, Australia, and India— ire conscious of it.

I/|EANWHILE. some Australian -Tl newspapers have had special reporters in Dutch New guinea and, from the material they

have supplied, we gather the follow ing interesting facts: Estimated indigenous native popu lation: 1,000,000.

Estimated native population in controlled areas: 200,000.

Principal centres of administra tion and development: Hollandia, Manokwari, Marauke, Fak Fak and Klamano and Sorong (headquarters and port respectively of the new oil-field developed by the Nether lands-New Guinea Petroleum Co., which now has in operation 20 wells, producing about £270,000 tons per annum, valued at about £1,000,000 Australian).

Labour—Native supplies quite in adequate, with the result that native workers are getting ten times more per month than in Australian New

Guinea, and large numbers of Indo nesians have been brought in.

Private enterprise is not being encouraged to the extent expected, apart from the oil-field. The country has resources of gold, silver, nickel, tin, lead, iron and sulphur —but nrospecting licences are not issued freely, and only to Dutch sub jects.

There are approximately 10,000 Dutch and Eurasians (mostly from Indonesia) in Western New Guinea, and a few thousand Indonesian labourers. The cost of living is ex tremely high. The Administration collects large amounts in direct in come tax and in duties, and the Netherlands Government makes large grants to encourage develop ment.