Federal Consultative Assembly

The Federal Consultative Assembly, or Bijeenkomst voor Federaal Overleg (BFO) was a committee established by the Netherlands to administer the Republic of the United States of Indonesia (RUSI) during the Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949). It consisted of the leaders of the 15 federal states and special territories within the RUSI with each state having one vote. It would be responsible for establishing an interim government by 1948 as envisioned in the BIO Decree. Most of the BFO representatives came from the Outer Islands where the Republican presence was weaker and support for the Dutch federal states was stronger.

Due to its ties with the Dutch, the BFO were regarded as collaborators by the Indonesian Republicans who distrusted the federal system and advocated a unitary Republic of Indonesia. Following the Second Dutch police action in December 1948, the BFO supported the United Nations Security Council resolution which called for the restoration of the Republican government in Yogyakarta prior to engaging in the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference at the Hague. Following meetings with the imprisoned Republican leadership at Bangka and a successful Republican counter-attack on Yogyakarta on 3 March 1949, the BFO became increasingly disillusioned with Dutch atrocities and advocated the inclusion of the Republicans in negotiations and the federal system.

References

• Reid, Anthony (1974). The Indonesian National Revolution 1945-1950. Melbourne: Longman Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-582-71046-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Kahin, George McTurnan (1952). Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)