East Indies Philippine independence. The East Indies may also include the former French-occupied Indochina, former British territories Brunei and Singapore and former Portuguese East Timor. It does not, however, include the former Dutch New Guinea western New Guinea (West Papua), which is geographically considered to be part of Melanesia. The inhabitants of the East Indies are almost never called East Indians, distinguishing them both from inhabitants of the Caribbean (which is also called the West Indies) and from the indigenous peoples of the Americas who are often called "American Indians." In colonial times they were just "natives". However, the peoples of the
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Council called the "Volksraad" for the Dutch East Indies was installed in 1918. The "Volksraad", an infant form of democratic council, was limited to an advisory role and only a small portion of the population were able to vote for its members. The Council comprised 30 indigenous members, 25 European and 5 from Chinese and other populations, and was reconstituted every four years. In 1925 the Volksraad was made a semilegislative body; and the Governor-General was expected to consult the "Volksraad" on major issues. Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies () represented Dutch