Not the old Subandrio (The Scotsman, 29 Oktober 1966)

=== [PDF page 1] === NDONESIA’s 3 new | Anit -sador:..to.-the Court James: General “Ibrahim Adjie: ‘flew into - ‘Britain. this’ week -and offered ‘a droll. comment: on. the man- who from: 1950-54 he d the months..‘ago Was < the: ‘s most. powerfull *fij ure ‘in Republic. No,’ 6. little General: softly, the old Subandrio.”:‘ Twenty-four hours ' military - tribunal had condemned - Sukarno’s'.... former’: Minister © to The charge bespectacled:' treason The, bunal-: decided vas: in’: Djakarta “vagainst Subandrio five-judge ° ‘trie of the. Indonesian Party. (P.K. I). oo and power. ~: Pay Toke Subandrio, * $2.0 an, east Javanese aristocrat. ‘by ‘origin, can claim long association’ with Indonesia's. struggle‘ against the Dutch,. In 1956. he was:.in Moscow as Ambassador.’ In the period up. to September into ‘alliance with:Peking.. there «is: no. evidence that he “ever was: Communist: “ But... he:} ‘But himself-a was.‘ ambitious. Throughout » 1964: -and.:.-1965 reports from: Djakarta, tinued to suggest that. President Sukarno’s ‘health’ seriously waning, < General Nasution, ‘the Defence. Minister,: was from..one: point Sukarno’s most. cessor.. But. over obvious: the * view same period the President acquiesced a P. K. ie in the power, steady rise -,of The forging “Ot: ee paming:? Djakarta axis in January. ‘1965 typified the trend. seemed to be sliding inexorably towards.. Communism. tect of the axis the chances. rose: that-he; rather. than. Nasution, one day take over the leader: ship. Few. sidered *-concould ican ‘then that ' Subandrio keep. contro] for long,:but ‘the::..:: ‘probably.- prospect of. power encouraged him to. pursue pro- P.K.I. policies. His. close ties with the Communists:and his love-match with encouraged the.view that in which six leading Generals were hacked to death and from.’ which Nasution » Narrowly. -- escaped, - | “ eM ete This. © view’ was: ‘reinforced after September 30°° =: by, thousands of |“ Hang.Suban=... drio” ~ the, d--the. tough ‘he isnot @arlier~ a; President Foreign.. the. firing." squad:. “the was =: bore. heavy responsibility forthe rise. Communist: 30 last: year his main. task was to’ draw...) “further”: con: was: Indonesia. Since ~-. Subandrio was the. chief..archi; ~ Peking-Djakarta: would: s China. was personally associated with ~ the September 30 coup attempt.:- slogans daubed.on build-" “suc: § eee 1914 in» East Subigadric’s:: first: revolution. was*in’ the home. and not-very-revolutionary civil - ings’ DjakKarta -by\“.anti-Con munist -students.*:On March 27 the. Foreign Minister ‘'was:.-re- Jheved:of: his:duties ‘and: taKen Into Custody:: : Th week,.in amswer. to Sub andrio’s ¢laim: ‘that.he had not warned: Sukarno ‘about P.K1,acuyvit = because. he assumed the: President: already’ Knew.:-of them’: the: tribunal ~'said: "We cannot «accept ere: excuses:”” Indone sia‘ is «place where regime and Western - capitalist against Japanese. in London, the Dutch, and fought Prominent in.:Indonesian revolution in’1945, and,'in 1949,: shortly after independence,’ was appointed tirst Indonesian ambassador: In 1955; he became Ambassador in Moscow. =: Ambassadorial_ life turned: his ‘attention away from revolutionary: Developed into a master of political se! ‘geal and aims of tormer ‘years: and court intrigue, and made a particular. study of his- premier, Dr.’ -: Sukarno. Knew Sukarno better. than anyone else in Indonesian ruling circles, and played his strength and weaknesses oft against each other. Jwith very rewarding ‘effects. Betore long his practice as a surgeon, — developed before the war, was given up in favour of politics. by one means and. “another, Indonesia. Has been ‘chief of | Vepeiiiate Intelligence Sutena: “first deputy - Prime Minister. and co-ordinator for New Guinea. Java mountain. village of Kepandjen ideas.: the Second most Loses peri l one fenéeraiises -at yne's The people —<and-: éspeci ally the: Ja\ anese whotend to:,domi nate," the.country—are g00d.at. saying ‘one thing~ and: doing: or: mean: “ing quite. -another, In.) this: respect, Subandrio’s ‘trial. Was’a typical= In jonésian: operation A glance: ‘at: the “historical record. show’ ‘that: Subandrio: at most ‘times. was.. very agent of ‘Sukarno::-The dent) has ‘always; been ae ey é wt long Father sa placid servant, * Joined: mountain - in guerrilla, wartare. against the © Becam 1962 ‘to. wrest ‘New. Guinea from the Dutch. Communist Party and undes-estimated forces of - the. Right.: “China's: word too. much’ for. what. China: meant, staked, everything on abortive Communist. ene: and Sabendete ' “year, gamble, but always exaggerated - oul ‘shvougtb oF, « lost. - Took and therefore, last INDONESIA’ s FORMER Wanhe chose’: as: his. -Foreign van “organiser: cand negotiator. . deputy «Malaysia Command. for his “much” the’ Presion “Sukarno’s strengths and: weak- = xThe final analysis, from: the Pre- J -sident. .randrio alone: been selected: by ‘-s.the regime of General’ Suharto: » for special treatment? ~, the regime can well do without ‘Heap the blame ‘for. past errors, ‘they, are not -with Sukarno:. "his powers have been -whittled +! away “ing * still . Palace -- mational emotion’ . ‘bution. : _. Personally’ he is:not “attractive and..awakens. little ‘sympathy. British. diplomats ‘gained a but son disliked Dutch struggles-* Led. struggle in “andrio »* whether shim writing a desperate: | letter «to the Palace... FOREIGN MINISTER: DRIO Words: ‘and anoit on elisitive administrative action: But: the ‘Minister had enviable''skills ‘as central intelligence: system:. He was first deputy: Prime‘ Minister:.. Until late’:1965 he was chief. of ~ the’: Crush His’ flair manveuvre ‘and ‘ intrigue. 3, gift for: riding. out: crises, his-: subtle -understanding. of nesses—all this gave Aim — But.it was power derived:. in Why, then,*‘has Sub- “The: answer’ is ‘that. “whereas Subandrio and ‘aré- glad to have somebody upon whom they can able. to dispense ‘The President * is. a peal: of national unity: Since “March Sukarno ‘is President for life. « domestic, policies ‘reverse. But no longer. -His damag- - and foreign have bern: -put:. into the Suherte not deeply» enough ' entrenched to drop—still-. less’ openly attack—the founder of the Republic. Sukarno will therefore stay in the Merdeka for as -long. ashe remains useful asa: focus. - regime:: As °. Subandrio isa. focus of: retriin Djakarta used to régard him ‘as‘‘a deceitful, ruthless _ oppor:- tunist.. His ‘«wife,. Hurustiati, reputation \:. for championing extreme Left-wing : National women's organisation.: : “In recent weeks students. ‘the capital have turned thei attentions from Subandrio and are“ beginning. to demand that Sukarno be. thrown out. Perhaps the regime’ hope’ the. verdict on -Subandrio - -will “-$atisfy them for a while. ' appeal for clemency.:' His plea must go, of course, to the Pre- ‘sident, and Sukarno is well aware that to show mercy would be to preven popular. resentment. Throughout ‘his. ‘erial “Subwas careful: not. to implicate his: former. master directly. As the 30 days. tick it will be interesting to see loyalty ‘will -. prevent === [PDF page 2] === Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.