Api Kartini (1961) item 'Letter from New York': a young American woman's account (Bettina Aptheker, per the editors' note) of growing American youth peace activism, with marches, vigils and demonstrations from 1960 to August 1961 and the formation of a single national peace organisation. Printed by the editors in Indon
Api Kartini item (1961), a review of Nguyen Xuan Tram's book 'Hell on Earth' on South Vietnamese women prisoners under Ngo Dinh Diem, including mothers jailed with infants and tortured. It ends by condemning planned US military intervention (General Maxwell Taylor's mission) as a threat to peace in Southeast Asia. Gerw
Renmin Ribao, 15 Sep 1962, p. 4: round-up of world solidarity with Cuba against threatened US intervention (Albania, WFDY, US Fair Play for Cuba, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico). The Jakarta item says Gerwani, in the name of over one million members, telegraphed the US government protesting aggression on Cuba, and c
Renmin Ribao, 15 Sep 1962, p. 4: round-up of world solidarity with Cuba against threatened US intervention (Albania, WFDY, US Fair Play for Cuba, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico). The Jakarta item says Gerwani, in the name of over one million members, telegraphed the US government protesting aggression on Cuba, and c
Neues Deutschland, 15 September 1962, p. 5: ADN/ND roundup 'Welt fordert Frieden für Kuba' (subhead 'Warnung an Washington') on worldwide solidarity with Cuba. Under 'Indonesien' it states that Gerwani, 'the most important Indonesian women's organisation', demanded that the US government immediately stop aggressive act
Api Kartini (early 1963) article marking four years of the Cuban Revolution, stressing Cuban women's heroism (Federation of Cuban Women head Vilma Espin) and their gains in literacy and work, then turning to the revolutionary struggle in Venezuela against Betancourt, in which women are urged to take part. Solidarity pr
Api Kartini (1963) editorial 'The Laotian Situation Is Critical': condemns US imperialist intrigues in Laos, assassination of Laotian leaders and violations of the Geneva Agreements on Laos' neutrality, and calls on Indonesian women to show solidarity with the Laotian people under the Bandung Dasasila. Solidarity with
Snippet-only Renmin Ribao extract (29 Dec 1963, p. 4) on Asian opinion against the US Seventh Fleet entering the Indian Ocean. It reports that Gerwani issued a statement backing Sukarno's stance that Indonesians will not bow to imperialist intimidation. Full text is GA-01922.
Xinhua roundup in Renmin Ribao (29 Dec 1963, p. 4) of Asian press and organisational reactions against the US Seventh Fleet entering the Indian Ocean. For Indonesia, Gerwani issued a statement backing Sukarno's refusal to bow to intimidation; dockers' unions, Harian Rakjat and Bintang Timur also quoted. Other items cov
Api Kartini (1964) article 'Racism in the Land of Dollars' on discrimination against 19 million African Americans (Birmingham bombing, voting restrictions), condemning also the 10 May 1963 anti-Chinese racist riots in West Java. The page continues with a short piece on a May book fair at Gedung Pemuda and encouraging w
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
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao (12 Jan 1964, p. 4) on Indonesian responses to US pressure: a Harian Rakjat editorial calling for 'confrontation' of Malaysia, the Seventh Fleet and SEATO, and New Year messages from SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakyat and the Peace Committee. The Gerwani Central Committee pledges support for the go
Berita Harian, 5 August 1964, p. 3, Reuters: Gerwani, described as a left-wing women's movement, cabled Sukarno demanding closure of the US Information Service, return of Peace Corps volunteers training Indonesian athletes, and condemned the Johnson-Tunku Abdul Rahman joint statement, per the PKI paper Harian Rakyat. S
LBJ Library National Security File, Indonesia (Sept 1964-Feb 1965): White House/State memoranda, Djakarta cables and CIA OCI reports on Sukarno's leftward drift, 'Sukarnoism' anti-PKI movement, succession, Malaysia and the USIS library crisis. Includes the CIA 'Sukarno and the Communists' report, listing Women's Front
CIA Office of Current Intelligence report 'Sukarno and the Communists' (23 Oct 1964, ten pages), pre-coup assessment of the PKI-Sukarno relationship. Describes PKI growth to a claimed three million members and its fronts, including the Women's Front (GERWANI), 'almost two million'; also the cabinet, National Front, lan
Xinhua roundup in Renmin Ribao (5 Dec 1964, p. 5) on world reaction to the US-Belgian attack on Stanleyville, Congo, including a 10,000-strong anti-US demonstration in Jakarta that stormed and burned the USIS library. Gerwani appears in one sentence: its Central Council demanded withdrawal of the aggressor forces, alon
CIA 'Indonesian Situation' report no. 61, 14 November 1965: continuing anti-communist action and mass killings, Aidit's presumed whereabouts, and 1,000 women demonstrating in Jakarta for permanent dissolution of the PKI women's auxiliary. Records an early anti-Gerwani mobilisation.
CIA intelligence memorandum, 6 October 1965, an early US assessment of the 30 September Movement; names Gerwani as reportedly involved and relays Suharto's 4 October claim that Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani volunteers trained near Halim. Early US echo of the Lubang Buaya narrative.
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180317 (2-9 Oct 1965): Jakarta embassy and Foreign Office telegrams on the 30 September coup, Suharto's takeover, Sukarno and Omar Dani, Soviet press silence, and a Singapore proposal for unattributable propaganda to blacken the PKI. Gerwani is named in Suharto's 4 Oct statement and a 6 Oc
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180337 (Mar-Nov 1965): telegrams and letters on US-Indonesian relations: Bunker mission, Peace Corps withdrawal, anti-American demonstrations, Ambassador Green, Palmer affair, then Anglo-American talks on aid to the generals after 1 October. No mention of Gerwani; 'women' appear only among
Xinhua dispatches in Renmin Ribao (8 Mar 1965, p. 4): 75,000 youth in Semarang demand confiscation of US capital and expulsion of the Peace Corps; Buddhists protest at the US Embassy. Women volunteers' leaders, including Gerwani volunteer-command leaders Sulami and Suwati Trimo (uncertain) and adviser Mrs Arudji Kartaw
US Consulate Medan telegram 509, 7-8 June 1965: the military used Dwikora authority to overrule the governor over banning the newspaper Tjahaja, called a clear Army win. Pre-coup Army-PKI rivalry in North Sumatra; no Gerwani content.
US Embassy telegram, 15 Sep 1965: a Dutch missionary reports on West Irian, including detained missionaries and a Papuan rebellion. Pre-coup West Papua context; no Gerwani content.
US Embassy telegram 971, 12 Oct 1965: a German embassy source says the Army is considering overthrowing Sukarno and signalling Western embassies; Sukarno refused to read PKI-complicity papers. High-politics context; no Gerwani content.
US Embassy telegram 779A, 18 Oct 1965: Foreign Ministry aide Sutarto says anti-PKI action is spreading across Sumatra, Sulawesi and Central Java, targeting Subandrio. Early-aftermath political context; no Gerwani content.
Secret letter, 23 October 1965, from CINCPAC political adviser Norman Hannah to Ambassador Marshall Green asking for contingency thinking on US covert or material help if the Army fought the PKI. Shows early US planning for support to the anti-PKI campaign.
US Embassy airgram A-298, 23 Oct 1965, on 'political moderates' helping the Army destroy the PKI, based on talks with a civilian columnist urging organisations to cleanse themselves of 30 September supporters. Shows civilian momentum for the purge.
US Embassy telegram 1168, 23 Oct 1965: anti-communist unions demand dissolution of the PKI and SOBSI from Labour Minister Sutomo, who hesitates; Army liaison approached. Labour-front context; no Gerwani content.
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance, 25 Oct 1965, calendar and background on the 30 September coup. It notes WIDF's 20th anniversary (26 Nov), lists GERWANI among PKI women's fronts (p.21), and repeats that about 3,000 PKI youth and women's group cadres were trained at Halim air base in September, with Gerwani and Pemuda
US Embassy telegram 1290, 1 Nov 1965: labour attache's Palembang visit finds 600 communists jailed, SOBSI officials at Shell, Stanvac and PUSRI arrested, and concern for American oil staff. Context on arrests in the oil sector.