'They were not allowed to take part': 17 August is a day of mourning
De Locomotief, 15 Aug 1950 (Aneta): SOBSI, Rukun Tani, a youth front, PRRI and the women's organisation GERWIS form a committee to commemorate the 'People's Proclamation of 17 August 1945', declaring 17 August 1950 a day of mourning because the RTC-style unitary state buries the 1945 republic. They protest the ban on b
SOBSI regards 17 August as a 'day of mourning': 'unitary state a la RTC'
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (15 Aug 1950, p.2): organisations including SOBSI, Rukun Tani Indonesia, Front Nasional Pemuda, PRRI and the women's organisation Gerwis formed a counter-committee, Panitya Peringatan Proklamasi Rakjat 17 Agustus 1945, after the government excluded parties from its commemoration committee. T
Regency council installed
De Locomotief, 10 Oct 1950: report on the installation of the Semarang regency council by Resident Milono, listing about 40 members from many parties and bodies. Mrs Sri Utari is named as the Gerwis representative; Mrs Sukandar and Suwarti represent GPII's women's wing. Records Gerwis's presence in local government in
The arrests in Indonesia: PKI calls for struggle against fascism
De Waarheid, 31 Aug 1951, p. 3: near-verbatim PKI Central Committee statement on the Sukiman government's August 1951 mass arrests, calling them a drift to fascism and a staged 'coup' pretext. It lists Gerwis among organisations whose members were arrested or searched, demands release of all detainees and urges an anti
Readers' opinions: Gebeo and Luna
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad readers' page (1951-11-01, p. 3); mostly a letter about street lighting. A final news item says the Gerwis central board supports Tan Po Goan's parliamentary interpellation on the security action and demands release of all persons detained in the August 1951 raids.
Indonesian cabinet crisis continues; Gerwis appeals after Sukiman's fall
De Waarheid, 18 Mar 1952, p. 2: news item on the Indonesian cabinet crisis after the fall of the Sukiman government over the US Mutual Security agreement signed by Subardjo. Notes that calls for an anti-fascist, anti-imperialist government reached Jakarta from the Gerwis national board, SOBSI and the peasants' union RT
Gerwis protests at the Egyptian consulate
Java-Bode, 16 Apr 1952, p. 1: Gerwis hands a letter to the Egyptian consulate protesting the Cairo governor's ban on women voting in Egyptian elections, communicated to Doria Shafik of the Daughters of the Nile, and urges its withdrawal.
Gerwis protests Egyptian ban on women voting
De Nieuwsgier, 17 Apr 1952: Gerwis hands a letter to the Egyptian consulate protesting the Cairo governor's decision that women may not take part in Egyptian elections, and urges Egypt to withdraw it. Early example of Gerwis's international women's-rights solidarity.
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.
Delegation to the governor
Java-Bode, 28 Oct 1952, p. 2 (begins mid-article): after a Borneo demonstration a delegation sees Governor Murdjani; in Yogyakarta parties and organisations including Gerwis, PKI, PNI and Partai Wanita Rakjat sign a statement urging early general elections and warning that dissolving parliament now would strengthen fas
For and against dissolution of parliament (full page)
Whole page, Java-Bode, 28 Oct 1952, on the dispute over dissolving parliament after the 17 October affair: demonstrations in Medan and Banjarmasin and statements by GPII and PIN. A Yogyakarta joint statement, signed by Gerwis, PKI, PNI and Partai Wanita Rakjat among others, urges early elections and warns that dissolvi
Parties' position (joint declaration on parliament, Yogyakarta 1952)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (29 Oct 1952, p.2): a joint declaration from Yogyakarta parties and organisations, signed by Partai Wanita Rakjat, Gerwis, Pemuda Rakjat, PKI, PNI, Partai Buruh and others, to the president and government. It demands democracy in the centre and daerahs and early general elections, warning th
Request for clarification on the 17 October 1952 affair
De Nieuwsgier, 6 Dec 1952: representatives of 18 parties and organisations in Surabaya, under the PNI, urge the government to clarify whether the 17 October 1952 affair was a coup, to act against all involved and to implement the Sophiaan motion. Gerwis is among the listed attendees (with PKI, PNI, SOBSI, Murba, Wanita
Women make demands on the government: Gerwis resolutions to Prime Minister Wilopo
De Waarheid, 29 Apr 1953, p. 6: short Jakarta dispatch (20 April) that Gerwis handed to Prime Minister Wilopo the resolutions from its recent conference: price controls, independent trade policy, firm action against security threats, and condemnation of attempts to drive peasants off their land in North Sumatra.
Latest news from Indonesia (4-7 May 1953)
Antara news roundup, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 13 May 1953, p. 4 (4-7 May). Relevant item: Setiati Surasto, Maasje Siwi and Kartinah left for the WIDF congress in Copenhagen. Rest covers the bank strike, the 17 October affair and the Wilopo cabinet's refusal to seek a confidence vote.
Gerwis and the coming cabinet
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1953-06-16, p. 2): Gerwis issues a statement on cabinet formation urging a government that withdraws measures harming women and the people, with a programme of protection for working and pregnant women, anti-unemployment measures, more education budget, price control, farm tools, ending region
Gerwis position
Java-Bode, 16 June 1953, p. 1: Gerwis statement on the formation of a new cabinet. It demands withdrawal of measures harming women and the people, with a programme of protection for working and pregnant women, fighting unemployment, higher education budget, price control, repeal of regional measures violating democrati
Gerwis and the coming cabinet
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (17 Jun 1953, p.2): Gerwis issues a statement on the formation of a new cabinet, calling for one that repeals measures harming women and people. Its programme demands protection of working women (especially pregnant), curbing unemployment, a bigger education and culture budget, price control
Mangunsarkoro (PNI) and Roem (Masjumi) cabinet formateurs
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 24 Jun 1953, p. 1: Sukarno appoints Mangunsarkoro (PNI) and Roem (Masjumi) as cabinet formateurs after Wilopo's fall; reports party programmes. Gerwis issues a statement urging a cabinet that protects working and pregnant women, curbs unemployment, raises education budgets, controls pri
New demonstrations in West Java? Delegation presents open letter to Sukarno
Aneta report in De Vrije Pers (16 Jul 1953) that a delegation of parties and groups (PPDI, Partai Buruh, PNI, PKI, Gerwis, Permai) which demonstrated in Bandung met Sukarno to present an open letter urging a decree declaring Darul Islam bands terrorists to be destroyed. The Badan Kontak Nasional demanded a progressive
New demonstrations in prospect: open letter to Sukarno after Bandung rally
De Nieuwsgier, 17 July 1953 (PIA): a delegation from the PPDI, Partai Buruh, PNI, PKI, PRIM, Gerwis and Permai, whose parties held a large Bandung demonstration, presents Sukarno with an open letter asking him to decree Darul Islam and other bands terrorists to be exterminated. Sukarno agrees personally but says cabine
Delegation of Bandung demonstrators to the president
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (17 Jul 1953, p.2): a delegation of PPDI, Partai Buruh, PNI, PKI, PRIM, Gerwis and Permai, after a large Bandung demonstration, met Sukarno to present an open letter asking for a decree declaring DI and other bands enemies of the state to be eradicated by force. Sukarno agreed personally but
Resolution to parliament
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1953-07-24, p. 2): delegation of SOBSI, Perbepsi, Komite Rakjat, IPPI and Gerwis hands parliament speaker Sartono a resolution demanding that the new cabinet be anti-Darul Islam and that the government declare DI an enemy of the state. Text ends abruptly.
SOBSI urges an 'anti-DI cabinet'
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (25 Jul 1953, p.2): a delegation of SOBSI, Pwbebsi, Komité Rakjat, LPPI and Gerwis, led by Munir of SOBSI, handed Parliament's speaker a resolution from a Jakarta mass meeting demanding an 'anti-DI cabinet' and a decree declaring Darul Islam an enemy of the state. The delegation was received
Sumatran groups up in arms against Masjumi
De Locomotief, 27 July 1953: a Palembang delegation (PIR, PNI, PKI) flies to Jakarta with a statement signed by six parties and 22 organisations including SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis. It demands early elections, anti-corruption action, settlement of the Tanjung Morawa affair and a democratic cabinet without Ma
Statement of groupings in South Sumatra
De Nieuwsgier, 27 July 1953: Palembang delegation (PIR, PNI, PKI) flies to Jakarta with a joint statement by six parties and 22 organisations including SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis. It says a PNI-Masjumi cabinet is no longer possible, urges a democratic parliamentary cabinet under Wongsonegoro, action against D
Salatiga: national action committee formed
De Locomotief, 29 July 1953: Salatiga branches of SOBSI, BTI, PPDI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis jointly convene a meeting of 35 organisations and parties, which forms a national action committee and decides to send an open letter to Sukarno urging implementation of parliament's decisions and action against Darul Islam and
Delegation of parties in South Sumatra to Jakarta
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (29 Jul 1953, p.2): a delegation of parties and organisations in Palembang flew to Jakarta with a joint declaration signed by six parties (PIR, PNI, PKI, Partai Buruh, Permai, Murba) and 22 organisations including SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis. It rejects a cabinet built on PNI and Ma
Merger of peasant unions
Java-Bode, 18 September 1953, p. 2: report that the Barisan Tani Indonesia (BTI) congress in Jakarta voted 122 in favour of merging with the Rukun Tani Indonesia, with some BTI executive members suspended. The damaged OCR ends by saying Gerwis expressed views on the merger; the content of those views is unreadable.
PSI objects to composition of Jakarta election committees
De Nieuwsgier, 18 Dec 1953: three Jakarta branches of the PSI protest to Mayor Sudiro that election committees for the Greater Jakarta regencies seat only certain parties and their 'side organisations', naming Gerwis, Wanita Demokrat, Petani, Sobri, Sobsi and PPR as associations with seats. Shows the political contest