Queen Juliana today signed the Bill making Indonesia a sovereign and independent State after 300 years of Dutch rule. The Bill had earlier in the day been passed by the Netherlands Senate by 34 votes to 15.
This was the last step in legalizing the actual transfer of sovereignty at a special ceremony in Amsterdam next Tuesday when the Indonesian Premier, Dr Mohammed Hatta, will accept the transfer on behalf of the United States of Indonesia.
All four Communist Senators were among those who opposed the Bill. The Catholic People’s Party and the Labour Party voted for it.
The United States of Indonesia delegation which will formally assume sovereignty will leave Batavia for Amsterdam by air on Friday. Principal members of the delegation will be Dr Hatta, the Minister of Justice, Prof. Supomo, Sultan Hamid of Pontianak, Dr Suparmo and the Supreme Court President, Dr Kusuma Atmadja.
In Batavia, the Dutch forces today completed the main stage of their withdrawal from the interior of Java and Sumatra to coastal concentration centres.
The main Dutch forces are now awaiting evacuation in the Batavia, Sourabaya, Bandoeng, Buitenzorg, Semarang, Padang, Palembang and Medan areas.
{{/usCountry}}The main Dutch forces are now awaiting evacuation in the Batavia, Sourabaya, Bandoeng, Buitenzorg, Semarang, Padang, Palembang and Medan areas.
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