Communist Blueprint For Asia (Western Mail, 18 August 1949), reprint
Western Mail (Perth), 18 Aug 1949, reprint of Denis Warner's article presenting the Feb 1948 Calcutta youth conference as a Moscow-directed 'blueprint' for Asian revolution. Indonesian delegate Francisca Fanggidaej is listed among the 'guests'; Warner says there is little to show 'his' politics and doubts Indonesian in
CIA intelligence survey of the PKI's history, structure and front organisations, May 1955, before the September 1955 elections. Section III.E (report pp. 49-50) profiles Gerwani: founded 1950 as Gerwis, renamed Gerwani at the March 1954 congress, 25,000+ members, S.K. Trimurti general chairman and Umi Sardjono chairman
CIA, The Indonesian Situation, report 61, 14 November 1965
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.
Evening Post (Wellington), 11 Oct 1965, AAP-Reuter/AP/NZPA report: mass arrests of Communists in Jakarta (about 1,500 detained in a week, 2,000 in Java) and fears of a Communist counter-terror. A Muslim mob ransacked a suburban Gerwani office, destroying files and furniture. Saura Islam alleges Communist women tried to
Fears of a New Surge of Red Terror in Indonesia (Evening Post, 11 October 1965), clipping on Gerwani office raid
Clipping from the Evening Post, 11 Oct 1965: a Muslim mob ransacked a suburban Gerwani office, destroying files and burning furniture, after PKI headquarters was burned; Sukarno reportedly gave the Army 'full power'; PNI backs the Army; Saura Islam claims Communist women tried to kidnap Muslim women.
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
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
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
Sukarno given list of suspected MPs; women demonstrate against Communists (South China Morning Post, 9 November 1965)
South China Morning Post, 9 Nov 1965, p.20 (Jakarta, 8 Nov): Sukarno is given a list of suspected PKI members of parliament; about 10,000 housewives, girl students and actresses marched to Suharto's HQ and the National Front office shouting support for Sukarno and the armed forces, denounced Gerwani, 'the PKI's women's
The Guardian, 9 Nov 1965, p.12 (BUP/Reuter, Jakarta, 8 Nov): about 10,000 Indonesian women and girls, led by drummers and majorettes, marched from Suharto's headquarters to the National Front office shouting support for Sukarno and against the Communists, and called for the dissolution of Gerwani, 'the Communist women'
Women Denounce Reds (Sunraysia Daily, 10 November 1965)
Sunraysia Daily (Mildura), 10 November 1965, p. 14, AAP/UPI report from Jakarta that 10,000 women (housewives, students, actresses) denounced Gerwani as 'a disgrace to Indonesian womanhood' and demanded its dissolution. They marched from Suharto's headquarters to the National Front with bands and batons and handed a pe
Women Denounce Reds (Sunraysia Daily, 10 November 1965), duplicate
Sunraysia Daily (Mildura), 10 November 1965, p. 14, AAP/UPI report from Jakarta that 10,000 women (housewives, students, actresses) denounced Gerwani as 'a disgrace to Indonesian womanhood' and demanded its dissolution. They marched from Suharto's headquarters to the National Front with bands and batons and handed a pe
Press (Christchurch), 8 Oct 1966, short item with photo: anti-Communist students demonstrating in Jakarta demand the arrest and trial of Hartini Sukarno, the President's second wife, for economic deviation, affiliation with Communist leaders and patronage of Gerwani, whose members are said to have played a major role i
Students Demand Trial for Mrs Hartini Sukarno (Press, Christchurch, 8 October 1966), caption clipping
Caption clipping from the Press (Christchurch), 8 Oct 1966: anti-Communist students in Jakarta demand Hartini Sukarno's arrest and trial for economic deviation, affiliation with Communist leaders and patronage of Gerwani, 'whose members are said to have played a major role' in the killing of six Army generals in Octobe
Toronto Daily Star, 20 Dec 1966: Indonesian Red's wife (arrest of Mrs Aidit)
Page 17 of the Toronto Daily Star (20 Dec 1966), a general world-news page. A short wire item headed 'Indonesian Red's wife' reports, citing the army paper Berita Yudha, the arrest of Mrs Aidit, a doctor and chairman of the Communist women's organization, accused of propaganda after the coup. The OCR is badly garbled;
US Embassy Jakarta cable, 30 Dec 1974: Sutanti Aidit confirmed as 'Class A' detainee
Confidential US Embassy Jakarta cable to the State Department, 30 December 1974 (declassified), reporting that Indonesian government sources confirm Sutanti Aidit is a 'Class A' detainee, i.e. slated for trial over the 1965 'coup attempt'. They describe her as a PKI central committee member, leading supporter of husban
US Embassy Jakarta cable, 30 Dec 1974: Sutanti Aidit confirmed as 'Class A' detainee
Confidential US Embassy Jakarta cable to the State Department, 30 December 1974 (declassified), reporting that Indonesian government sources confirm Sutanti Aidit is a 'Class A' detainee, i.e. slated for trial over the 1965 'coup attempt'. They describe her as a PKI central committee member, leading supporter of husban
Tempo English, 4 October 2021: Opinion - Umi Sardjono and communism phobia (the annual ghost)
English edition of the Tempo column 'Umi Sardjono and the Annual Ghost' (4 Oct 2021) arguing that 1965 history is still black and white. It uses Umi Sardjono's life (arrest without trial, Bukit Duri, Plantungan to 1979), Gerwani's Gerwis origins, a mid-1960s membership of 1.5 million, literacy classes, her immigration