The Indonesian parliament and Linggadjati: strengthened left wing supports Sjahrir cabinet
Long article in the Dutch communist daily De Waarheid (15 Jan 1947) by its "Indonesian collaborator" assessing support for the Linggarjati draft in the Indonesian provisional parliament: Masjumi and PNI divided or opposed, while the PKI, Partai Sosialis, Pesindo, Christian parties, Partai Buruh, Perwari and BTI back it
Balance sheet of Indonesian political parties
Nieuw Utrechtsch Dagblad, 17 January 1947, p. 2: list drawn up by the Republican paper De Patriot of Indonesian groups for and against the Linggadjati draft agreement. Perwari, PKI, Sobsi, BTI and the Partai Sosialis are listed for; Masjumi, PNI and Partai Wanita Rakjat against. Gerwani/Gerwis (founded later) does not
KNIP working committee (composition, April 1947)
Het Nieuws (Algemeen Dagblad) item (29 Apr 1947, p.1) listing the 1947 working committee of the KNIP (Republic's provisional parliament) by party: BTI, Partai Sosialis, PKI (Njoto, Dr Roestam), Partai Buruh (including 'Soewarti'), Masjumi, PNI and group representatives. Mejuffrouw Soesilowati is named for the girls' le
Ministers of State
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1947-07-04) lists new Indonesian Republic ministers of state. Mrs. K. Trimurti (S.K. Trimurti) of the Partai Buruh Indonesia is Minister of Labour with Wilopo (PNI) as deputy; others include Wikana, Hamengkubuwono IX and Maruto Darusman (PKI).
Musso on the coup in the republic
Bredasche Courant, 21 Sept 1948: Madiun-affair report quoting Musso's radio speech that the revolution is under national-communist leadership, claiming 20 million Indonesian women were widowed by romusha labour and calling Sukarno and Hatta servants of Japan and America. Also reports refugees fleeing to Dutch lines. Ge
Sukarno and Hatta servants of Japan and America (Musso on Radio Gelora Pemuda)
Het Dagblad (Batavia) item (22 Sep 1948, p.2) quoting Musso's radio speech from communist-held 'Radio Gelora Pemuda' after the Madiun coup: the revolution is under national-communist leadership against imperialism, Sukarno and Hatta are called 'servants of Japan and America', and he says more than twenty million Indone
Situation in the republic: no measures against Tan Malaka's group
De Locomotief, 7 Dec 1948: Army Contact Service report after the Madiun affair. It says Francisca Fanggidaej, earlier delegated to Prague by the BKPRI, was captured with Col. Djokosujono and PKI's Sardjono. According to her, 23 women were among Amir Sjarifuddin's troops; 14 surrendered with 800 men and 7 more on 29 Nov
Republican members of the RIS parliament: candidate list
Aneta item in De Vrije Pers (14 Jan 1950) listing candidates for the Republican seats in the RIS parliament. Among Masjumi, PNI, PKI and others, "Mrs Moedigdo" (Mudigdio) is put forward for the Partai Sosialis; many other names (Natsir, Sartono, Iwa Kusumasumantri, Yamin). Gerwis/Gerwani is not mentioned.
Indonesian delegate: victory in China inspiring (Lillah Suripno)
De Waarheid item (10 Feb 1950) quoting Indonesian delegate Lillah Suripno at the Asian Women's Conference in Peking: guerrillas fight oppressors, Indonesian women's task is a free democratic state, the Chinese revolution is an example, and victory needs a democratic front under the Communist Party. Photo shows her besi
City news: Semarang, 2 November 1950
De Locomotief, 2 Nov 1950, Semarang city news column. Relevant items: Gerwis Semarang has a new board chaired by Miss Kadarsih after merging its three branches; Gerwis (with Perwari, Kowani) is on the committee for the reburial of Lt-Col Sirojo (catering); a PKI branch opens in Semarang. The 'Kartinah' mentioned died o
In Yogyakarta two committees for 17 August
De Nieuwsgier, 31 July 1951: in Yogyakarta SOBSI initiates a rival '17 August' committee including trade unions, the youth front, PKI, PSII, Murba, BTI and Gerwis, claiming the city's official committee only wants to 'celebrate' without expressing the people's struggle. It will explore a merger. Another item (Pakistan-
26 persons arrested in East Java
Dutch newspaper report ('t Nieuws voor Kampen, 20 Aug 1951, p. 6) on the mass arrests of 26 people in East Java, including journalists, PKI and SOBSI officials in Surabaya, and the chairwoman of Gerwis, Mrs. Parjani Ilham. Officials said the arrests targeted no particular group.
Three editors-in-chief
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1951-08-20, p. 2, beginning missing) lists those arrested in the Surabaya raids: Chinese-Indonesian editors, SOBSI and SBKA chairman Surono, PKI chairman Hutapa and board members, kampung officials, and Gerwis chairwoman Mrs. Parjani Ilham, plus a Chinese school pupil. Police seized portraits
Arrests in East Java: seven journalists detained in Surabaya
De Nieuwsgier, 20 Aug 1951: report on the August 1951 Sukiman government sweep in East Java: 26 detained in Surabaya, including editors, SOBSI and PKI leaders, and Mrs Parjani Ilham, chairwoman of Gerwis. Police seized Mao, Lenin and Stalin pictures. Officials say the arrests do not target a particular ideology. Early
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
Questions in parliament
De Locomotief, 15 Sept 1951: communist MP Suwarti questions the government about recent confiscations of Karl Marx's books and the Attorney General's claim that they rest on legal grounds, asking which statutory article applies. The rest is unreadable. Shows a woman PKI parliamentarian defending the right to publish Ma
Works of Marx confiscated (question by Suwarti in parliament)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (15 Sep 1951, p.2): communist MP Suwarti questions the government on the recent confiscation of Karl Marx's books, asking on which legal article the measure rests after the attorney general's spokesman claimed it was lawful. Context for the 1951 anti-communist round-up; identification of Suw
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.
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
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
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
Independence Day: sober celebration will mark this 17 August
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1953-08-14, p. 2): programme and committee for a sober 17 August celebration in Bandung (no slogans, only the Red-White flag), plus a sports programme. The committee's women treasurers include Mrs. Tata of Gerwis alongside Perwari and Parkiwa; PNI, Masyumi and PKI chair it. Much of the text is
Mayor explains composition of regency election committees in Jakarta
De Nieuwsgier, 13 Feb 1954: Jakarta Mayor Sudiro explains the composition of the three regency election committees, giving one seat each to Masjumi, PNI, Gerwis, NU, PKI, PIR, Perwari and others. Gerwis's seat falls from two to one, with a Gerwis woman seated to represent 'socialism'; the Wanita Demokrat seat passes to
Action against the Swapradja: self-government in Solo does not fit present system
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1954-03-12, p. 2): the anti-Swapradja Surakarta committee, whose conference included Gerwis among PNI, PKI, Partai Buruh, SOBSI and youth groups, resolves to reject any return of self-government and to hold regency rallies by 15 April. The government says swapradja must be gradually adapted an
The anti-self-government action in Solo
De Nieuwsgier, 12 Mar 1954: a Solo conference against 'self-government' (the autonomy plan for Surakarta) adopts a campaign of regency mass meetings by 15 April, a central action and a delegation to national leaders. Attendees include the PNI, PKI, Pemuda Rakjat, Pemuda Puteri Indonesia, Gerwis and SOBSI.
Public Masyumi meeting: 'Quran doctrines must be basis of our state'
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1954-03-29, p. 2): report of a public Masyumi meeting in Bandung. Mrs. Ijom Suleiman argues Islam gives women equal rights and duties; Masyumi West Java secretary Rusjad Nurdin rejects PKI claims that Masyumi are American compradors and urges Muslims never to join the PKI or organisations it i
But what is the reality? Travel report on workers in Indonesia
De Waarheid, 1 May 1954, p. 4: travel report by Mak Meyer, a Dutch union delegate to the SOBSI conference, on Indonesian workers' misery: poverty, homelessness, factory conditions and wages, child labour, becak drivers, and figures such as 35,000 women dying in childbirth yearly. Portrays SOBSI and PKI as leaders and u
Impressive ceremony on the invasion beach (with item on Gerwani and the Union)
Het Vaderland front page (8 Jun 1954) opening with Dutch resistance veterans' wreath-laying at the Normandy invasion beaches, followed by Indonesian news. A short passage 'Indon. comm. women and the Union' says the Indonesian feminist movement Gerwani, recently hostess to delegations of communist women from Russia and
Joint declaration of thirty parties (abolition of the Netherlands-Indonesian Union)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (24 Jun 1954, p.1): the Jakarta cooperation committee of about thirty parties and organisations, including PNI, PKI, Partai Buruh, Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, SOBSI, BTI and Wanita Rakjat, issued a joint declaration demanding immediate abolition of the Indonesian-Dutch Union, blaming Dutch imper