Pravda, 18 Dec 1961: Fourth Gerwani Congress
Pravda no. 353, 18 December 1961 (full issue). Page 3 has a dispatch by correspondent O. Skalkin from Jakarta on the Fourth Gerwani Congress: 400 delegates from Java, Moluccas, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan; Sukarno's speech condemning anti-communism, backing NASAKOM and the West Irian claim, and praising Soviet support. N
Pravda, 18 Dec 1961: Fourth Gerwani Congress (excerpt)
Pravda no. 353, 18 December 1961 (excerpt of the page). Page 3 has a dispatch by correspondent O. Skalkin from Jakarta on the Fourth Gerwani Congress: 400 delegates from Java, Moluccas, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan; Sukarno's speech condemning anti-communism, backing NASAKOM and the West Irian claim, and praising Soviet s
National Seminar of Women Peasants in Indonesia, 17-20 Jan 1961 (JPRS 8325)
JPRS translation (24 May 1961) of four Harian Rakjat items on Gerwani's first National Seminar of Women Peasants, 17-20 January 1961, including Kartinah Kurdi's working paper and D.N. Aidit's speech. Key source on Gerwani's peasant-women programme and class analysis.
The dream of an Indonesian peasant woman: National Seminar on Peasant Women (1961)
1961 article by Maasje Siwi on Gerwani's first National Seminar on Peasant Women's Problems. Describes peasant hardships (debt, child marriage, easy divorce, exclusion from village office) and demands: land reform and women's land ownership, crop-sharing law, abolition of colonial ban on women village heads. Features d
The Communist Party of Indonesia 1951-1961: A Decade of the Aidit Leadership (Hindley, 1961)
Donald Hindley's 1961 ANU PhD thesis on the Indonesian Communist Party under the Aidit leadership, 1951-1961, covering PKI strategy, party-building, finances, mass organisations and elections. Section 'Women' (pp. 422-448, esp. 'Gerwani', pp. 428-441) traces Gerwis from its founding on 4 June 1950 (about 500 members) t
Communism and the PKI, Despatch of January 1961
US embassy Djakarta despatch compilation (Jan 1961) analysing communism and the PKI, including its front organisations. The overview describes Gerwani as the communist women's organisation used for price and anti-bomb demonstrations, affiliated with the WIDF (which funds trips abroad for prominent members), and contras
International briefs: Gerwani national seminar on rural women (Renmin Ribao, 27 January 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 27 Jan 1961, p. 6, international briefs: Gerwani, 'Indonesia's largest women's organisation', held a national seminar on rural women, 17-20 January, with over a hundred delegates. It demanded abolition of colonial laws restricting women, land rights for rural women, a democratic marriage law, relief from
International briefs: Gerwani national seminar on rural women (Renmin Ribao, 27 January 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 27 Jan 1961, p. 6, international briefs: Gerwani, 'Indonesia's largest women's organisation', held a national seminar on rural women, 17-20 January, with over a hundred delegates. It demanded abolition of colonial laws restricting women, land rights for rural women, a democratic marriage law, relief from
Chen Yi arrives in Jakarta bringing the Chinese people's friendly wishes (Renmin Ribao, 29 March 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 29 Mar 1961, p. 1 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Chen Yi arrives in Jakarta on a friendship visit and is met by Subandrio, Henk Ngantung, PKI's Njono and heads of mass organisations including the Indonesia-China Friendship Association and Gerwani, with crowds and banners; Sukarno receives him at Merdeka Palace. Gerwa
Chen Yi arrives in Jakarta bringing the Chinese people's friendly wishes (Renmin Ribao, 29 March 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 29 Mar 1961, p. 1 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Chen Yi arrives in Jakarta on a friendship visit and is met by Subandrio, Henk Ngantung, PKI's Njono and heads of mass organisations including the Indonesia-China Friendship Association and Gerwani, with crowds and banners; Sukarno receives him at Merdeka Palace. Gerwa
The bridge of Chinese-Indonesian friendship will be further strengthened (Renmin Ribao, 1 April 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 1 Apr 1961, p. 5 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Jakarta press coverage of Chen Yi's visit, and over a hundred representatives of the Friendship Association, SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani presenting gifts (handicrafts, batik, Indonesian translations of Mao and Liu Shaoqi) to Chen Yi, with Sain Nasution speakin
The bridge of Chinese-Indonesian friendship will be further strengthened (Renmin Ribao, 1 April 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 1 Apr 1961, p. 5 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Jakarta press coverage of Chen Yi's visit, and over a hundred representatives of the Friendship Association, SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani presenting gifts (handicrafts, batik, Indonesian translations of Mao and Liu Shaoqi) to Chen Yi, with Sain Nasution speakin
US Embassy Despatches on PKI Tactics and the SOBSI Women's Labour Seminar, May 1961
US Embassy Djakarta despatches to the State Department, May 1961. One reports conservative views (Mohammad Roem) that the PKI won a limited victory by gaining legal recognition. The other reports the SOBSI National Seminar on Labouring Women (Jakarta, 11-14 May 1961), attended by Djuanda and Gerwani central board membe
NPC delegation meets Indonesian peace activists (Renmin Ribao, 17 August 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 17 Aug 1961, p. 6 (Xinhua, Jakarta): a Chinese NPC delegation led by Guo Moruo meets Indonesian peace activists at the home of Peace Committee chair Mrs Hidajat; both sides denounce imperialism. Umi Sardjono, named as Gerwani chair and MP, is among those present, with Friendship Association leaders. A sec
NPC delegation meets Indonesian peace activists (Renmin Ribao, 17 August 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 17 Aug 1961, p. 6 (Xinhua, Jakarta): a Chinese NPC delegation led by Guo Moruo meets Indonesian peace activists at the home of Peace Committee chair Mrs Hidajat; both sides denounce imperialism. Umi Sardjono, named as Gerwani chair and MP, is among those present, with Friendship Association leaders. A sec
FBIS, 12 September 1961: Indonesian women's delegation (to China)
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (12 Sep 1961): an Indonesian women's delegation left Jakarta for China at the invitation of the PRC Women's Federation, led by Mme Rusiah Sardjono (Persatuan Wanita Republik Indonesia) and including MP Mme Salawati of the Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani), MP Mme Wahid Hasjim, Mme Sulardi
Indonesian women's delegation arrives in Beijing (Renmin Ribao, 26 September 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 26 Sep 1961, p. 5 (Xinhua): a five-member Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Rusiah Sardjono arrives in Beijing by train at the All-China Women's Federation's invitation, met by Shi Liang and Burhan; it had earlier visited Guangzhou, Shanghai and Nanjing. Gerwani is not named in the text.
Indonesian women's delegation arrives in Beijing (Renmin Ribao, 26 September 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 26 Sep 1961, p. 5 (Xinhua): a five-member Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Rusiah Sardjono arrives in Beijing by train at the All-China Women's Federation's invitation, met by Shi Liang and Burhan; it had earlier visited Guangzhou, Shanghai and Nanjing. Gerwani is not named in the text.
US Embassy Reports on Women's Organizations and Friendship-Society Regulation, Oct 1961
US Embassy Djakarta despatches, Oct 1961: transmittal of the July 1961 war-administrator regulation on international friendship societies, and the report 'Role of Women in Indonesia: Women's Organizations' with a memorandum of conversation with Maria Ulfah Santoso (8 March 1961) and biographic notes. It describes Gerwa
He Xiangning receives the Indonesian women's delegation (Renmin Ribao, 1 October 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 1 Oct 1961, p. 3 (Xinhua): NPC Standing Committee vice-chair He Xiangning receives the Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Rusiah Sardjono, and the wife of Foreign Ministry secretary-general Suwito and her son. Brief courtesy-call notice; Gerwani not named.
He Xiangning receives the Indonesian women's delegation (Renmin Ribao, 1 October 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 1 Oct 1961, p. 3 (Xinhua): NPC Standing Committee vice-chair He Xiangning receives the Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Rusiah Sardjono, and the wife of Foreign Ministry secretary-general Suwito and her son. Brief courtesy-call notice; Gerwani not named.
Greeting from Gerwani to the Dutch women's meeting on New Guinea
De Waarheid, 28 Nov 1961, p. 3: report of an NVB (Dutch women's) meeting where the peaceful settlement of New Guinea was top of the programme. A highlight was a greeting from Gerwani, described as a 900,000-member Indonesian women's organisation, saying Indonesian and Dutch women are closely linked in protecting childr
International solidarity: Gerwani's greeting quoted to the Dutch women's movement
De Waarheid, 28 Nov 1961, p. 3: one-paragraph quote from Gerwani's greeting to the Dutch women's movement (NVB): Indonesian mothers organised in Gerwani will never forget the NVB's consistent help and solidarity in the struggle to liberate West Irian. Companion to the 'Begroeting Gerwani' item.
Guo Jian and others leave for Indonesia (Renmin Ribao, 6 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 6 Dec 1961, p. 4 (Xinhua): Guo Jian, secretary of the All-China Women's Federation, and Zhang Jiexun leave Beijing for Jakarta at Gerwani's invitation to attend its Fourth Congress. Short departure notice.
Guo Jian and others leave for Indonesia (Renmin Ribao, 6 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 6 Dec 1961, p. 4 (Xinhua): Guo Jian, secretary of the All-China Women's Federation, and Zhang Jiexun leave Beijing for Jakarta at Gerwani's invitation to attend its Fourth Congress. Short departure notice.
Chinese women's federation delegation arrives in Jakarta (Renmin Ribao, 12 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 12 Dec 1961, p. 3: the All-China Women's Federation delegation led by Guo Jian arrived in Jakarta on 9 December, invited to Gerwani's Fourth National Congress opening on 14 December. Short notice.
Chinese women's federation delegation arrives in Jakarta (Renmin Ribao, 12 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 12 Dec 1961, p. 3: the All-China Women's Federation delegation led by Guo Jian arrived in Jakarta on 9 December, invited to Gerwani's Fourth National Congress opening on 14 December. Short notice.
NVB telegram to Gerwani on its Fourth Congress, December 1961
De Waarheid, 14 Dec 1961, p. 2: notice that Gerwani, affiliated with WIDF, holds its fourth congress in Jakarta on 14-17 December 1961, and the NVB's greeting telegram, signed by chair Heiltje de Vos and secretary Annie Averink, expressing solidarity in the struggle against colonialism, for transfer of West Irian to In
Sukarno now supreme commander: New Guinea plans; speech at Gerwani congress
De Tijd/De Maasbode Reuter item (15 Dec 1961): Sukarno chaired the new 15-member national defence council as supreme commander to plan the "return" of West New Guinea. It notes that at the opening of the Gerwani congress he announced again he would "use armed force to liberate West Irian".
No negotiations: Sukarno at the Fourth Gerwani Congress
De Volkskrant report (15 Dec 1961) on Sukarno's speech to what it calls the fourth congress of Gerwani, "the communist-controlled" women's movement, convened on women's role in the West Irian struggle. He rejected talks with the Netherlands, said power is created by politics, and promised armed force if the UN accepted