INDONESIA: Listen Politely

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Four months ago President Sukarno proclaimed his konsepsi for Indonesia's chaos: "guided democracy." Just what is "guided democracy"? Fortnight ago Sukarno made it all too clear: "The people have to be organized, guided and taught from above. When I was in the Chinese People's Republic, I was deeply impressed by the stupendous reconstruction work being done. Why? Because the Chinese people take an active part, with love and earnestness. This is also true of Russia. We. too, can do the same thing."

To Indonesia's Communists this was indeed a fine konsepsi ("We stress our support," said Comrmmist Boss D. N. Aidit), but to Indonesia's powerful conservative Masjumi (Moslem) Party it was intolerable. "If the Chief of State considers that the Constitution can be lightly laid aside if necessary," said Masjumi Leader Mohammed Natsir, "then the people will inevitably look upon it lightly too. The result of this is that jungle law will prevail."

As the week wore on, the jungle was heard from. In Sumatra, headquarters of the revolutionary Banteng Council, Colonels Maludin Simbolon and Ahmad Husein told Christian Science Monitor Correspondent Gordon Walker flatly that they would have no part of Sukarno's "guided democracy" or of his Emergency Cabinet. When told they were about to be visited by the chief of the Emergency Cabinet, Colonel Husein answered: "We'll listen politely, but continue on our chosen path." Both Husein and Simbolon said that they felt Sukarno was on the decline, indicated quite openly that they would prefer to see him replaced with someone else, possibly the Sultan of Djokjakarta. They also want to see Mohammed Hatta, a Sumatran currently on the outs with Sukarno, made Vice President or Premier. The alternative was a fragmenting of the country, with oil-rich Sumatra seeking some kind of autonomy. Said Colonel Simbolon confidently: "The national army is now so badly rent internally that it is unable to put anything but token pressure on us."