Mrs Roosevelt replies to Gerwis
Trouw (27 May 1952): Eleanor Roosevelt, visiting Jakarta, answers a letter from Gerwis, rejecting its claims that the UN used germ weapons in Korea or suppressed peoples' freedom, and rejecting claims about expelled Arabs. She admits a fight against communist-influenced organisations. Shows Gerwis's peace and anti-impe
Reception for PKI's 32nd anniversary led by Mrs Mudigdio (Harian Rakjat, 27 May 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 27 May 1952. Front-page report on the PKI's 32nd anniversary reception, whose opening session was led by Nyonya Mudigdio (photo caption: she chairs the meeting); speakers included Alimin, attacking the MSA aid pact, with greetings from foreign communist parties. Other pages cover the Surabaya PKI recepti
Daily Worker, 27 May 1952: 20 nations pick delegates for Asia peace parley
Page 4 of the Daily Worker (New York, 27 May 1952) with a roundup of 20 countries naming delegates for the Asian Peace Conference preparatory meeting in Peking. The Indonesian list includes a member of Parliament named as president of the Indonesian Women's Movement ('Olpuwarti' in garbled OCR), alongside SOBSI, Lekra-
Beijing May Festivals Highlight Communist 'Peace' Campaign in Asia (1952)
State Department intelligence report (27 May 1952) on Beijing's May 1952 festivals and the Asia-Pacific peace conference preparations as part of the communist 'peace' campaign. Mentions the WIDF only as a precedent for earlier Beijing meetings (Nov-Dec 1949); no reference to Indonesia, Gerwis or Gerwani found.
Delegates arrive in Beijing for Asia-Pacific peace conference preparatory meeting, incl. Gerwis chair
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao, 30 May 1952 (p. 1), listing delegates from fifteen countries arriving in Beijing for the preparatory meeting of the Asian and Pacific Regional Peace Conference. The Indonesian group is Suwati (Suwarti), deputy chief delegate, MP and chairman of Gerwis; Hartoyo of the Peasants' United Fron
Delegates arrive in Beijing for Asia-Pacific peace conference preparatory meeting, incl. Gerwis chair
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao, 30 May 1952 (p. 1), listing delegates from fifteen countries arriving in Beijing for the preparatory meeting of the Asian and Pacific Regional Peace Conference. The Indonesian group is Suwati (Suwarti), deputy chief delegate, MP and chairman of Gerwis; Hartoyo of the Peasants' United Fron
Analysis of Communist Propaganda in Indonesia (OIR 5714.7, 1952)
OSS/State Department report OIR 5714.7 (30 May 1952) analysing PKI propaganda: party structure, front organisations, relations with international communism and themes. Names Gerwis under Mrs Mudigdo as the communist vehicle competing with Kowani for women, and BTI under S. Sardjono; appendices cover publishing, films,
Mrs Salawati threatened
Short item, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 31 May 1952, p. 2: Salawati, ex-mayor of Manado, tells student ex-soldiers that Kahar Muzakkar ordered followers to arrest and kill her.
Children's Day in Jakarta
Java-Bode, 31 May 1952, p. 2: at Gerwis's initiative a 1 June Committee with Gerwis, Sobsi, Pemuda Rakjat and IPPI representatives organises Children's Day contests on Merdeka Square for about 4,000 registered children and will distribute over 6,000 old garments to poor children of Tanah Abang and Senen.
FBIS, 31 May 1952: Vienna delegates speak
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (31 May 1952) on a Peking meeting for International Children's Day welcoming delegates returning from the Vienna children's conference. Mme Suwarti of Indonesia described the miserable life of Indonesian people and children under American imperialist exploitation and praised New China's car
FBIS, 3 June 1952: Children's Day statement (Gerwis-sponsored committee)
Brief FBIS item (3 Jun 1952): the committee for observing International Children's Day, formed under the auspices of Gerwis (Gerakan Wanita Indonesia Sedar), issued a statement appealing for attention to children's future worldwide and in Indonesia, warning that war such as in Korea endangers children's physical and me
FBIS, 3 June 1952: Details of meeting - preparatory meeting for the Asian and Pacific Peace Conference, Peking
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (3 Jun 1952) on the opening of the preparatory meeting for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference, Peking: 49 delegates from 19 countries. The Indonesian delegation is Suwarti (Gerwis president), Suroso and Surjonegoro; Suwarti is on the presidium and the manifesto drafting commission, and Indon
FBIS, 4 June 1952: Preparatory meeting enters second day
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (4 Jun 1952) on day two of the Peking preparatory meeting for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference. Suwarti of Indonesia chaired the late-morning session; Surjonegoro of Indonesia made a statement. Greetings read from the All-China Democratic Women's Federation and other Chinese bodies and fro
Interview with Indonesian delegates Suwarti (Gerwis) and Sujonegoro (Renmin Ribao, 6 June 1952)
Interview in Renmin Ribao, 6 June 1952 (p. 4, by Kong Dongping), with Indonesian delegates Suwati (Suwarti), Gerwis leader and MP, and the national capitalist Sujonegoro, in Beijing. Both denounce US economic domination, the Round Table agreements and the rubber embargo's price collapse. Suwati says over 500,000 Indone
Interview with Indonesian delegates Suwarti (Gerwis) and Sujonegoro (Renmin Ribao, 6 June 1952)
Interview in Renmin Ribao, 6 June 1952 (p. 4, by Kong Dongping), with Indonesian delegates Suwati (Suwarti), Gerwis leader and MP, and the national capitalist Sujonegoro, in Beijing. Both denounce US economic domination, the Round Table agreements and the rubber embargo's price collapse. Suwati says over 500,000 Indone
FBIS, 6 June 1952: Indonesian peace movements (Suwarti and Surjonegoro interview)
FBIS-monitored Chinese Home Service excerpts (6 Jun 1952): press interview with Indonesian delegates Suwarti and Surjonegoro in Peking. They described Indonesian livelihood under foreign capital, the land question, US aid and the rubber embargo (prices down about 70%), and said over 600,000 Indonesians signed a request
Suwarti in Peking: preparatory committee for Asia-Pacific peace conference (Harian Rakjat, 9 June 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 9 June 1952. A front-page NCNA dispatch from Peking (6 June) reports Suwarti and Suryonegoro, members of the Indonesian delegation to the preparatory committee of the Peace Council for Asia and the Pacific, briefing journalists on Indonesia's peace movement, poverty, KMB economic dependence, Irian Barat
Literaturnaia Gazeta, 10 Jun 1952: World Peace Council Bureau statement (Suwarti signs)
Front page of Literaturnaia Gazeta, 10 June 1952, carrying a World Peace Council Bureau statement defending the French peace movement. Signatories include 'Mrs. Suwarti (Indonesia), member of parliament' (Gerwis/Gerwani leader Suwarti), alongside Joliot-Curie, Eugenie Cotton (WIDF), Brecht and Neruda. Also notes the Pe
Pravda, 10 Jun 1952: Peking preparatory conference for the Asia-Pacific Peace Congress
Pravda p. 4, 10 June 1952: TASS communique of the Peking preparatory conference (3-6 June) for the Asia-Pacific Peace Congress, 47 delegates from 20 countries. Indonesian signatories of the appeal are Suwarti and two others (OCR-garbled names); Congress set for Peking in late September 1952. Suwarti is the Gerwis/Gerwa
Baby care
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad notice (1952-06-12, p. 2) that a baby-care committee, Taman Baji Sehat, has been set up in (apparently Bandung) by women's associations including Parkiwa, Perwari, Gerwis and Persatuan Wanita Kristen, to open a crèche for babies of mothers who have died, are ill or work.
East Java Committee for Victims of the August Razzia, secretary Sulami (Harian Rakjat, 13 June 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 13 June 1952. On p. 2 an open letter from the East Java Committee for Victims of the August Razzia (chair Ny. Harsono, secretary Sulami) presses the central government to clarify the status of detainees from the August 1951 mass arrests and free them before Idul Fitri, citing the humiliation and sufferin
The Wikana question: August raid detainees' families delegation
De Nieuwsgier, 16 June 1952: Central Java territorial command denies that the defence minister told a delegation of the Committee of Families of August Raid Detainees (Mr K. Wirdojo and Mrs Moedigdo [Mudigdio]) he would lift the banishment of the Wikana group released after the 1951 raids. The three remain in Central J
Harian Rakjat, 16 June 1952: Gerwis Jakarta adds Kemayoran branch; Salawati Daud
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 16 June 1952 (full issue; p. 2 relevant). Reports the founding meeting of a Gerwis branch (ranting) at Kemayoran, with a committee chaired by Kardini; Ny. Bandiyah of the Jakarta branch explains the statutes, and women's and youth wings of PKI organisations pledge cooperation. Also: Salawati Dau
Harian Rakjat, 26 June 1952: Fanggidaej in nine-organisation delegation; Gerwis Semarang Froebel school
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 26 June 1952 (full issue; p. 1 relevant). Francisca Fanggidaej speaks to the paper as one of 17 members of a delegation of nine organisations (peace committee, workers, students, women's, youth and ex-combatant groups) concerning protests over the Korean war and germ warfare. Also a report that
Delegation to US embassy protests bacteriological war in Korea
De Nieuwsgier, 27 June 1952 (Sin Po): on the Korean War anniversary, a nine-organisation delegation including Gerwis, SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat, Lekra and the peace committee protests at the US embassy against alleged bacteriological warfare, but is turned away. They write to the foreign minister asking Indonesia to press f
Harian Rakjat, 30 June 1952: Suwarti returns from the Vienna conference
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 30 June 1952 (full issue; p. 1 relevant). Reports that Suwarti, MP, sent by Gerwis in April to the Vienna conference on children's rights, returned to Jakarta; she describes contacts with WIDF, contrasts socialist and capitalist countries, announces the Peking peace conference, and complains tha
Indonesia shows solidarity with fighting Korea
De Waarheid, 3 Jul 1952, p. 5: dispatch on Indonesian solidarity with Korea on the war's second anniversary. A 17-person delegation of the Indonesian Peace Committee, including Francisca Fanggidaej, visited the US embassy in Jakarta to protest killings of women and children; Ambassador Cochran refused to receive them,
Harian Rakjat, 7 July 1952: Mrs Mudigdio on attorney-general's secret circular; Wanita Demokrat rejects PP 19
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 7 July 1952 (full issue; pp. 2, 4 relevant). Ny. Mudigdo (Mudigdio), MP, questions the government about a secret Attorney-General circular of 1 February 1952 ordering tough action against 'press crimes'. P. 4 prints a resolution of Wanita Demokrat Indonesia opposing Government Regulation 19/1952
Harian Rakjat, 11 July 1952: DPR versus Persaja; Mrs Mudigdio on security section
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 11 July 1952 (full issue; p. 4 relevant). Parliamentary report in which Ny. Mudigdio is named as a member of the DPR security section during a debate on the prosecutors' association (Persaja) and on political activity by public officials. The issue otherwise has no Gerwis or Gerwani material.
Freedom Day celebration committee formed on basis of National Reveil declaration
De Nieuwsgier, 15 July 1952 (Sin Po): a Jakarta meeting of 34 parties and organisations forms a Freedom Day (17 August) committee led by the PKI's Greater Jakarta section by 26 votes; PNI, Parkindo, SOBSI and Gerwis sit on it, Masjumi and PSI abstain. It adopts the National Reveil joint declaration signed by 60 groups.