The Threat of Civil War

To President Sukarno's white-pillared presidential palace at Djakarta, Java came report after report of revolt and separatist movements, from the northern tip of Sumatra on the Indian Ocean to Borneo, the Celebes and Amboina, some 3,000 miles away in the Banda Sea. There was a new outbreak in South Sumatra. It is largely the reputation of Sukarno that holds the sprawling Republic of Indonesia together, but what threatened to sever it last week was a recent decision by Sukarno himself: to include Indonesia's Communists in his government.

Ironically enough, it was the Communists themselves who seemed about to destroy any chance they may have had for inclusion in the government. All week long Red agitprop specialists spattered Djakarta's buildings with red-paint slogans supporting Sukarno's proposal. Across the city's swill-strewn byways and broad, palm-lined boulevards diligent Communist cadres hung hortatory banners. The Red campaign was the most impressive show of organized political strength Indonesians had seen in years, and to many Indonesian politicians it was also the most frightening.

Crying Halt. First to cry halt was respected, soft-voiced Mohammed Hatta, himself a Sumatran, who resigned as Vice President in December largely because of his chief's overt flirtation with the Communists.

Djakarta's press, disliking Sukarno's plan but hesitant to criticize him, kept silent until Hatta spoke out against Sukarno's proposal to set up a "guided democracy" with all parties represented. "Oil and water," Hatta snapped, "don't mix." Hatta had a sane and solid answer to Sukarno's oft-repeated plea that "we cannot ignore the 6,000,000 people who voted for the Communist Party." Said Hatta: "Leave them in the opposition.'' Encouraged by Hatta's stand. Djakarta newspapers took up the cry.

There was a further shock in store for Sukarno, who hitherto has enjoyed almost complete freedom from criticism. Though many army officers have participated in separatist revolts in East Indonesia and Sumatra (TIME. Dec. 31), Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Haris Nasution has been unswervingly loyal to Sukarno. Last week, in a blunt, private session with the President. Good Soldier Nasution told Sukarno flatly that taking Communists into the government could well lead to all-out civil war. A high-ranking Moslem politician was still more forthright. "If the Communists come in," he said, "we will take to the hills."

Promising Retreat. Sukarno finally backed down. He still insisted on including the Communists in a National Council which, as originally proposed, would have had veto powers over Cabinet decisions as well as acts of the Indonesian Parliament. But now, he said, the council's role would be advisory only.

Later, in a talk with a Western visitor, Sukarno revealed the naivete that from the beginning has marked his dealings with the Communists. "You talk of wanting independence from foreign intervention," said the visitor, "but the Communist Party is not a national Indonesian party--it represents a foreign power." The President flushed in anger, clenched his fist and replied: "If I learn and can prove that Indonesia's Communists are being actively supported from outside this country, I will crush them."

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