Communist Developments in Indonesia

=== [PDF page 1] === [Unreadable] Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R004600660003-0 INFORMATION REPORT CONFIDENTIAL COUNTRY: Indonesia DISTR: 14 APR 50 SUBJECT: Communist Developments in Indonesia NO. OF PAGES: 3 PLACE ACQUIRED: [Unreadable] DATE OF INFO.: [Unreadable] SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT NO.: [Unreadable] 1. Because of the rigorous measures taken by the Republik Indonesia Serikat (RIS) against participants in the Madiun revolt in 1948 and the intervening period during the second police action in December 1948, many leading figures in the left wing parties dispersed, temporarily curtailing their activities. For this reason there were few major developments in the Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI), Front Demokrat Rakjat (FDR), Partai Murba, and related organizations during the last months of 1949. TAN Ling Djie, Abdul Madjid, Wikana*, Sakirman** and other Communist leaders are reported still in the mountainous areas around Kedu and Solo. 2. At the end of 1949 an important leader of the PKI Politburo is reported to have announced that an "alliance" had been made by the PKI, FDR and Partai Murba, all of which have a similar objective, the establishment of a socialist community in Indonesia. 3. To achieve their goal the three parties proposed to use the following procedures: a. Parliamentary methods in seeking key government positions, b. Underground action. 4. The program of parliamentary procedure already has resulted in the acceptance of the PKI, FDR and Partai Murba in the Komite Nasional Indonesia Pusat (KNIP) and in the Representative Assembly of the new Republik Indonesia Serikat. 5. The underground movement is most noticeable now in the infiltration into the lower labor classes, civilian government offices, and the army. 6. The labor class, which is centered in the Jogjakarta and Solo areas, is inactive at present, although heavily influenced by the Communists. In the Jogjakarta-Solo districts, land is considered to be private property [continued on next page] CLASSIFICATION: CONFIDENTIAL/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY [Unreadable: stamp text; the document is regraded CONFIDENTIAL in accordance with a letter of 18 October 1978 from the Director of Central Intelligence to the Archivist of the United States] === [PDF page 2] === Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R004600660003-0 CONFIDENTIAL/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY [6, continued:] of the Sultan or Susuhunan, most of it now being rented to large companies for use as sugar or tobacco estates. The PKI and FDR are attempting to obtain a change in the status of land ownership through propaganda and agitation. 7. In the military, the Sudiarto Brigade in the Semarang area is definitely influenced by the FDR and Pasindo groups. The Republican Military Police is aware of this condition. Furthermore, in the Jogjakarta area, about 90 percent of the employees of the military government, the Kommando Onderdistrict Militair and the Kommando District Militair (KODM and KDM), are members of the FDR. 8. After the transfer of sovereignty, the Dewan Partai of the Partai Murba held a conference 14-16 January 1950 in Jogjakarta to draw up a political program. The Dewan Pimpinan of AKOMA also held a conference in Jogjakarta from 5-7 February 1950. At these meetings it is believed the two parties made efforts to reorganize and bring about closer cooperation between their leaders. 9. Labor leaders of the AKOMA and the former Lasjkar Rakjat (followers of Chairul Saleh) are now very active in Djakarta, particularly in the Tandjungpriok area, where almost the entire population consists of dock workers living in poor economic conditions. The propaganda line used by labor agitators there is based on a comparison of the inferior living conditions of harbor workers, who have a base salary of from f 50 to f 100 a month, with the higher standards of the RIS government employees, who live on a much better social level. 10. The Partai Komunis Indonesia Merah, under Mohammed Djoni, has moved to Djakarta and will probably become active very shortly among the fishermen along the Java and Sumatra coasts. Djoni has already established the Sarekat Pelajaran Indonesia (Indonesian Seafarers' Union) with the assistance of Darwis Diamin, former Angkatan Laut Republik Indonesia (ALRI) Commander in Tegal, known for his connections with smugglers from Singapore and Malaya. Djoni also has contact with Izak Mahdi***, Indonesian representative in Bangkok. Mahdi is highly dangerous to the RIS government because of his position there. 11. At present, the Communist groups in Indonesia are believed to be relatively weak because their leadership has not yet united. The PKI-Alimin faction appears to be in opposition to the Politburo under TAN Ling Djie and Abdul Madjid. The Communist-influenced labor movement also has two conflicting factions, the Partai Buruh Indonesia under Umi Sardjono and another Partai Buruh Indonesia under Professor Abidin. 12. Chairul Saleh of the Tentara Rakjat and Wahidin Nasution, his division commander, were arrested in mid-February 1950. This leaves only one outstanding Communist army commander at liberty, namely, Muhidin Nasution. * [Unreadable] December 1949, names Wikana as one of the leaders of the Front Demokrat Rakjat (FDR) in the Klaten area. [Unreadable] December 1949, reported that Wikana was in Lawejan and that he is often seen in Jogjakarta and Sawangan and is known to travel about considerably. CONFIDENTIAL/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R004600660003-0 === [PDF page 3] === Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R004600660003-0 CONFIDENTIAL CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY ** Comment. [Unreadable] January 1950, lists Sakirman as Deputy Chairman of the Partai Buruh Indonesia (PBI) and a member of the Republik Indonesia Serikat Representative Assembly. *** Comment. [Unreadable] 8 January 1950, says that Mahdi is a leftist and has played with the Communists in the past. The source for this report feels he would be an easy target for the Soviets. [Unreadable] December 1949, names Mahdi as a Partai Murba member. CONFIDENTIAL/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY CONFIDENTIAL Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R004600660003-0