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
Red Party outlawed: Indonesia bans Communist party, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani (Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 18 October 196
Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 18 Oct 1965, p.1 (AP): Radio Jakarta announced a military ban on the Indonesian Communist Party and affiliates, issued in the name of Maj-Gen Umar Wirahadikusumah for the Jakarta area; SOBSI was banned, and Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani, 'the party's women's wing', were also placed under the ban.
Jakarta military bans Red groups (Leader-Post, Regina, 18 October 1965)
Leader-Post (Regina), 18 Oct 1965, p.10 (AP, Singapore/Jakarta): 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. Further reports: attacks on PKI offices in Ba
Jakarta outlaws Communist party (Ottawa Citizen, 18 October 1965)
Ottawa Citizen, 18 Oct 1965, p.3 (AP, Singapore): 'Jakarta outlaws Communist party.' Radio Jakarta announced a military ban on the PKI and affiliates in the name of Maj-Gen Umar Wirahadikusumah; SOBSI was banned nationwide, and Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani, 'the party's women's wing', were also banned, with leaders ordere
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
Communist Party Ban (Sunraysia Daily, 19 October 1965)
Sunraysia Daily (Mildura), 19 October 1965, p. 1, short AAP report from Singapore that Radio Jakarta had announced the banning of the PKI and affiliates including Pemuda Rakyat, Gerwani ('the women's wing') and SOBSI. It says all had been prime targets of the army-inspired anti-communist campaign after the failed 1 Oct
Communist Party Ban (Sunraysia Daily, 19 October 1965), duplicate
Sunraysia Daily (Mildura), 19 October 1965, p. 1, short AAP report from Singapore that Radio Jakarta had announced the banning of the PKI and affiliates including Pemuda Rakyat, Gerwani ('the women's wing') and SOBSI. It says all had been prime targets of the army-inspired anti-communist campaign after the failed 1 Oct
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
Communist Party ban
Townsville Daily Bulletin, 19 Oct 1965, p. 1 (AAP): Radio Djakarta reports the PKI and affiliated organisations banned, including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani ('the women's wing') and the Communist-dominated Sobsi trade unions, all prime targets of the Army's anti-Communist campaign. Notes that only Sukarno can legally ban a
Communist Party ban
Townsville Daily Bulletin, 19 Oct 1965, p. 1 (AAP): Radio Djakarta reports the PKI and affiliated organisations banned, including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani ('the women's wing') and the Communist-dominated Sobsi trade unions, all prime targets of the Army's anti-Communist campaign. Notes that only Sukarno can legally ban a
Military ban confronts Indonesian Red Party (Calgary Herald, 19 October 1965)
Calgary Herald, 19 Oct 1965, p.6: AP/Washington Post wire item from Singapore/Jakarta reporting that Indonesia's army banned the Communist party in Jakarta in the name of Gen. Umar Wirahadikusumah, also banning Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani, 'the party's women's branch', and outlawing SOBSI. Mentions arrests of Radio Jakar
Jakarta generals clamp down on Communists (Daily Mail, 19 October 1965)
Daily Mail (London), 19 Oct 1965, p.2, by Arthur Cook from Singapore: Indonesia's ruling generals banned the Communist Party in Jakarta and its surrounding region; Radio Jakarta listed the organisations (People's Youth Front, Gerwani 'the Communist women's organisation', the peasants' and scientists' associations, stud
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
Sukarno resists pressure to dissolve Communists (The Gazette, Montreal, 19 October 1965)
The Gazette (Montreal), 19 Oct 1965, p.2 (AP, Singapore): 'Sukarno resists pressure to dissolve Communists.' The army banned the PKI in Jakarta in the name of Maj-Gen Umar Wirahadikusumah, SOBSI outlawed, and Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani, 'the party's women's branch', also placed under the ban; leaders to report within fi
FBIS-monitored ANTARA English report (20 Oct 1965): some 100,000 Ansor youths in Jakarta (Taman Suropati) demanded dissolution of the PKI and affiliates for their part in the coup, endorsed the war administrator's suspension decision, said 'CGMI, Gerwani, SOBSI and Lekra were deeply involved in the recent terror moveme
FBIS-monitored ANTARA report (21 Oct 1965): at Madjalengka Square, Bandung (West Java) region, before thousands and the local commandant, PKI sectional committee members and affiliates declared themselves out of the PKI and dissolved the branches, renewing allegiance to Sukarno. The statement lists nine signatories, in
Peking Review no. 43, 22 October 1965: drastic changes in Indonesian political situation; Gerwani office burnt
Peking Review no. 43 (22 Oct 1965), Chinese state weekly, with a Xinhua round-up on 'drastic changes' in Indonesia after 30 September. It reports army-controlled Djakarta groups demanding dissolution of the PKI, Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani (c. 5 Oct), Gerwani's office burnt down on 9 Oct, and the later banning order; Ren
US Embassy Djakarta Airgram A-300, 22 October 1965: The September 30 Affair - history and interpretation of the attempte
US Embassy Djakarta airgram A-300 (22 Oct 1965, Edward Masters), a 46-page analysis of the 30 September Movement, the PKI, Sukarno, Air Force and army prospects. Gerwani appears only twice: as members of PKI paramilitary TIK units trained at Halim, and as PKI women said to have taunted and humiliated the generals at Lu
Seven Political Parties Issue Joint Statement (FBIS, 23 Oct 1965)
FBIS-monitored ANTARA report (23 Oct 1965): seven parties (PSII, Catholic Party, IPKI, Perti, NU, a functional group and Muhammadiyah) issued a joint statement of 21 October that the PKI and its mass organisations, naming Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, SOBSI, HSI, Lekra, CGMI and others, were clearly involved in the 30 Septem
Airgram A-298: The Situation in Indonesia after the Coup Attempt, 23 Oct 1965
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.
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance, 25 October 1965: WIDF 20th anniversary, Gerwani and the 30 September Movement
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
FBIS-monitored ANTARA report (26 Oct 1965): the Jakarta PWI chapter suspended 77 more journalists of banned papers (Warta Bhakti, Bintang Timur and others) after suspending 40 from Harian Rakjat, Kebudajaan Baru and Antara; regional PWI chapters did likewise. Yogyakarta authorities banned the PKI-affiliated Ariwarti Wa
Seven Student Organizations Establish Front (FBIS, 27 Oct 1965)
FBIS-monitored ANTARA report (27 Oct 1965): seven student and pupil organisations formed a Student Front and called on Sukarno to dissolve the PKI and mass organisations 'such as Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, CGMI, IPPI, SOBSI, HSI', and backed the education minister's suspension of PKI-linked bodies in the ministry. Another
FBIS-monitored ANTARA report (27 Oct 1965) on a demonstration by the Action Coordinating Body to Crush the 30 September Movement at the Foreign and Home Affairs departments, demanding dissolution of the PKI and sister organisations, purges of subdistricts and the Labour Ministry, and regretting China's attitude on the
CIA, Press information relating to insurgency and counterinsurgency: South and East Asia (217), 28 October 1965
CIA Foreign Documents Division compilation of Indonesian, Malaysian, Burmese and Cambodian press, 28 Oct 1965. Djakarta's Angkatan Bersendjata (early Oct) is quoted on the 30 September Movement and the Lubang Buaya killings: bodies found near a bivouac of Gerwani and Pemuda Rakjat volunteers, Suharto's remark about a G
LBJ National Security File: Indonesia, Communist Parties and Internal Politics, Nov 1965-May 1966
LBJ Library National Security File, Indonesia country file (vol. VI): US Embassy Jakarta cables and withdrawal sheets, mainly December 1965 to May 1966, on the army's moves against the PKI, Sukarno's speeches, student demonstrations and Suharto's rise. Gerwani appears twice. Embtel 2077 (17 Jan 1966) reports Bogor wall
The Anti-Communist Campaign in Indonesia: A Chronology (USIA R-158-65), Nov 1965
USIA Research and Reference Service report R-158-65 (November 1965), a chronology of the anti-Communist campaign in Indonesia, 1-20 October 1965, built on Indonesian and foreign radio and press. Gerwani entries: Suharto's 4 Oct TV statement linking the generals' murders to Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani training grounds; NU
FBIS item (1 Nov 1965, Indonesian Information Service to diplomatic missions): over 300 members of BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani in Rantjamalang village, Bandung regency, were reported to have renounced PKI membership and dissolved their organisations, saying they were 'tricked' by the PKI leadership; about 100 PKI su
Straits Budget, 3 Nov 1965: army says wholesale slaughter of civilians in east Java
Straits Budget, 3 Nov 1965 (lead only). Reports a state of war declared in central Java, with the army saying Communists massacred civilians and Communists and Muslims fighting, citing Radio Jakarta. Typical army-sourced framing of the killings; matched on Gerwani.