Dilemmas of Indonesian Communism (van der Kroef, 1962)
Article by Justus M. van der Kroef (Pacific Affairs, summer 1962) on the PKI's dilemmas under Guided Democracy: dependence on Sukarno, the July 1960 'Evaluation' clash with the army, and the party's use of mass fronts. Gerwani is named as the PKI's women's front: its organ was aggressive without censure in 1961, and in
Women's emancipation cannot be separated from national independence: speech by Pardjani Pradono
Renmin Ribao, 15 Jul 1963, p. 2: full text of the speech by Mrs Pardjani Pradono, head of the Indonesian women's delegation, at the Beijing rally. She says women's emancipation and family happiness cannot be separated from national independence, endorses Sukarno's Political Manifesto, Nasakom and anti-Malaysia line, an
Women's emancipation cannot be separated from national independence: speech by Pardjani Pradono
Renmin Ribao, 15 Jul 1963, p. 2: full text of the speech by Mrs Pardjani Pradono, head of the Indonesian women's delegation, at the Beijing rally. She says women's emancipation and family happiness cannot be separated from national independence, endorses Sukarno's Political Manifesto, Nasakom and anti-Malaysia line, an
Chairman Aidit leads delegation to the Soviet Union and China (Renmin Ribao, 21 July 1963)
Renmin Ribao/Xinhua report (21 July 1963, p. 3) on PKI chairman Aidit's delegation leaving Jakarta for Moscow, Beijing and Cuba, with his airport statements on the Sino-Soviet dispute, Nasakom and 'Malaysia'. Gerwani appears once, its head among mass-organisation leaders at the send-off. Useful for Gerwani's place in P
Aidit, 'Some problems of the Indonesian revolution and the PKI' (Beijing report, snippet)
Snippet-only Renmin Ribao extract (5 Sept 1963, p. 3) from D.N. Aidit's 4 September Beijing report on the Indonesian revolution and PKI. It states PKI membership rose from 4.6 to 6.3 million in about a year, with Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani at 1.5 million members each; the snippet is truncated.
D.N. Aidit, 'Some problems of the Indonesian revolution and the PKI': Beijing report, 4 September 1963
Full Renmin Ribao text (5 Sept 1963, p. 3) of D.N. Aidit's 4 September Beijing rally report on the Indonesian revolution and PKI: semi-colonial, semi-feudal analysis, national united front, Nasakom, state power's 'two aspects', and party building. Gerwani appears only once, in a membership tally (1.5 million, alongside
Foreign Office/CRO Papers on the PKI and Malaysia Confrontation (DO 169/516, 1964)
British Commonwealth Relations Office/Foreign Office file (DO 169/516, 1964) on Indonesia and Malaysia. It combines handwritten minutes, an IRD intelligence paper on the PKI (Aidit's December 1963 plenum, Sino-Soviet line, the prospect of PKI power within five years), a brief 'Communists smoothing path to power in Indo
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (30 Sep 1964): Mao Zedong and other leaders received over 70 foreign guests on the eve of National Day. Among the Indonesians: Naibaho (Harian Rakjat editor), Siauw Giok Tjhan, and Mme Suharti, PKI Central Committee member and first vice chairman of the Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani)
Foreign guests from over eighty countries celebrate China's National Day
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao (1 Oct 1964, p. 6) on 2,600+ foreign guests at China's 15th National Day. Translation retains only Indonesian items: the PKI delegation under Yusuf Adjitorop, Harian Rakjat, SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakyat, Kowani delegations and Mrs Juswati as Gerwani's representative. Gerwani is a single name
Mao and other leaders receive National Day guests (snippet)
Snippet-only Renmin Ribao extract (1 Oct 1964, p. 3) on Mao and other leaders receiving National Day guests. It names Mrs Suharti, PKI Central Committee member, head of its Women's Department and Gerwani First Vice-Chair, among those received; truncated. Full text is GA-01946.
Mao and other leaders receive National Day guests, including Suharti of Gerwani and PKI
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao (1 Oct 1964, p. 3) on Mao, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai and others receiving 15th National Day guests. Among those received: Suharti (Suwarto), PKI Central Committee member, head of its Women's Department and Gerwani First Vice-Chair, and Kowani chair Mrs Sukahar; also the PKI delegation and wom
Deng Xiaoping meets the PKI delegation (snippet)
Snippet-only Renmin Ribao front-page extract (7 Oct 1964): Deng Xiaoping and wife host a banquet for PKI delegation head Yusuf Adjitorop, Cao Dechong, Adjitorop's wife Juswati (Gerwani representative) and children. Full text is GA-01950.
Deng Xiaoping meets the PKI delegation and hosts a banquet
Xinhua note in Renmin Ribao (7 Oct 1964, p. 1): CPC General Secretary Deng Xiaoping met PKI delegation head Yusuf Adjitorop and Cao Dechong, then hosted a banquet attended by Adjitorop's wife Juswati, described as Gerwani's representative, and children, with Kang Sheng present. Gerwani is mentioned only through Juswati
Peking Review no. 41, 9 October 1964: National Day guests including Suharti of Gerwani
Peking Review no. 41 (9 Oct 1964), Chinese state weekly, on the 15th anniversary of the People's Republic. A list of foreign guests received by Chinese leaders (p. 7) names Mme Suharti, PKI Central Committee member and First Vice-Chairman of Gerwani, with Mme Chairul Saleh (Women's Union of the Indonesian Republic), Mm
Mrs Suharti returns from China (snippet)
Snippet-only Renmin Ribao item (24 Oct 1964, p. 4): Suharti, PKI Central Committee member, head of its Women's Department and Gerwani First Vice-Chair, after National Day events and a visit to Yan'an, flew to Guangzhou on 22 October and returned home via Shenzhen on 23 October; truncated.
Mrs Suharti returns from China after National Day and visit to Yan'an
Xinhua note in Renmin Ribao (24 Oct 1964, p. 4): Suharti, PKI Central Committee member, head of its Women's Department and Gerwani First Vice-Chair, left Beijing for Guangzhou on 22 October after National Day events and a visit to Yan'an, and returned home via Shenzhen on 23 October; a Guangdong women's federation offi
FO 371/180324: Attempted Coup against Sukarno [15] (Nov 1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180324 (1965), 'Attempted coup against Sukarno [15]': telegrams and letters from Djakarta, Washington and Peking, November 1965, plus appended US and Canadian reports. It records Sukarno's Heroes Day speech, Adam Malik's view of the Sukarno-generals stalemate and accounts of 30 September.
FO 371/180326: Political Parties and Communism (Feb-Aug 1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180326 (Feb-Aug 1965): embassy telegrams, letters and Antara extracts on the PKI's growth before the coup: its 45th anniversary, Aidit's speeches, Mao's greeting, Sino-Soviet positions and Sukarno's leftward drift. Gerwani items: Antara of 9 June reports Sukarno addressing Gerwani, chaired
FO 371/180333: Bilateral Relations with China (1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180333 (Jan-Dec 1965): Peking, Djakarta and Hanoi telegrams on Sino-Indonesian relations: Subandrio's visit, delegations, PKI-China links, then the post-coup anti-Chinese wave, attacks on Chinese premises and Medan riots. Only Gerwani mention: Angkatan Bersendjata (29 Oct, p. 82) says the
Umi Sardjono Leads Women Volunteers to DRV Embassy (FBIS, 8 Apr 1965)
FBIS Daily Report page (8 Apr 1965; HathiTrust scan p.251, North Vietnam section): continuation of the VNA volunteer report. Contains the passage that about 100 women volunteers led by Mrs Umi Sardjono, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement, went to the DRV Embassy and NFLSV office on 4 April, including wives of
Guests from eighty countries celebrate China's National Day on the eve of the 1965 coup
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao (1 Oct 1965, p. 3) on 2,000+ guests at China's 16th National Day, dated the eve of the 1965 coup. Only Indonesian items are translated: MPRS and economic delegations, a PKI delegation under Sidik Kertapati, SOBSI, Harian Rakjat and a Gerwani puppet-art study delegation (leader's name uncer
Jakarta women danced as generals were murdered (The Hindustan Times, 15 October 1965)
The Hindustan Times, 15 Oct 1965: report of a police witness's account at Lubang Buaya that Communist women danced naked in a circle while six generals and a lieutenant (mistaken for Nasution) were tortured to death, with torn-out fingernails and faces mutilated. Gerwani is not named, but this is an early instance of t
Ban on Communists reported (Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 18 October 1965)
Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 18 Oct 1965, p.1 (AP, Jakarta/Singapore): Radio Jakarta announced a military ban on the PKI and affiliates in the name of Maj-Gen Umar Wirahadikusumah; SOBSI banned, and Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani, 'the party's women's wing', also placed under the ban. Also reports attacks on PKI offices in Banda
Gerwani among banned Communist fronts (Vancouver Sun, 18 October 1965)
Vancouver Sun, 18 Oct 1965, p.3, whole page (Reuters/UPI); relevant items: Jakarta commander Maj. Gen. Umar Wirahadikusumah, in defiance of Sukarno, orders temporary suspension of the PKI and other pro-communist organisations in the Jakarta area, leaders to report within five days. Banned groups include the Youth Front
Communist Party Banned in Indonesia (Canberra Times, 19 October 1965)
Canberra Times, 19 Oct 1965, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): Radio Jakarta reports the PKI and affiliates banned, including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani (called the women's wing), Sobsi, BTI and the student movement; the ban is by the Jakarta military commander, not Sukarno. Notes Army-led anti-Communist drive and Chinese protests. Early
Communist Party Banned in Indonesia (Canberra Times, 19 October 1965), duplicate
Canberra Times, 19 Oct 1965, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): Radio Jakarta reports the PKI and affiliates banned, including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani (called the women's wing), Sobsi, BTI and the student movement; the ban is by the Jakarta military commander, not Sukarno. Notes Army-led anti-Communist drive and Chinese protests. Early
Communists banned in Jakarta area (The Daily Telegraph, 19 October 1965)
The Daily Telegraph (London), 19 Oct 1965, p.25, Rawle Knox from Singapore: Radio Jakarta announced a ban on the Indonesian Communist party in the Jakarta area (order attributed to 'Maj.-Gen. Kasomo' i.e. Umar Wirahadikusumah), its leaders told to report to police by Sunday; affiliates banned include Pemuda Rakjat, 'th
CIA, Press information relating to insurgency and counterinsurgency: South and East Asia (Summary 6897), 4 November 1965
CIA Foreign Documents Division weekly digest (Summary No. 6897, 4 Nov 1965) of press on insurgency in South and East Asia. Its Indonesia section reproduces Army-controlled press (Angkatan Bersendjata, Duta Masjarakat) on the 30 September Movement, including claims that Gerwani volunteers trained at Lubang Buaja and moc
The Economist, 6 Nov 1965, p.594, 'Rings on a tree trunk', from a special correspondent in Jakarta: the army-inspired anti-communist campaign has gained its own momentum, with raids on PKI offices, arrests, 26 Antara correspondents detained, Aidit in hiding, Sukarno declaring Central Java in a 'state of war'. Wall graf
Nógrád, 7 Nov 1965: army kills communist women demonstrators in Solo
Page of Hungarian county daily Nograd, 7 Nov 1965, with an MTI Djakarta dispatch: the army press office says paratroopers 'were forced to take the lives' of Gerwani women who blocked a military column in Solo (Surakarta), Central Java; the communique does not state numbers. Also Pravda's Jakarta report on the banning o