Unrest in Indonesia continues
Algemeen Handelsblad (1954-07-02): a Committee of Co-operating Parties of 31 parties and organisations, including PKI, PNI, NU, SOBSI and Gerwani, urges the Dutch government to declare High Commissioner Van Bylandt persona non grata, recall Indonesia's delegation, abolish the Netherlands-Indonesia Union unilaterally an
Cooperating parties want High Commissioner persona non grata
De Gooi- en Eemlander, 2 July 1954: a committee of 31 cooperating parties and organisations, including the PKI, PNI, SOBSI and Gerwani, demands that Dutch High Commissioner Count van Bylandt be declared persona non grata. It also asks for unilateral abolition of the Netherlands-Indonesia Union and a West Irian administ
Communique of cooperating Indonesian parties: expulsion of Dutch High Commissioner demanded
De Waarheid, 2 Jul 1954, p. 1: Jakarta dispatch that a committee of 31 cooperating Indonesian parties and organisations, including PNI, PKI, NU, SOBSI and Gerwani, asked the government to declare the Dutch High Commissioner Count van Bylandt persona non grata over his 25 June speech, recall the Hague negotiators if it
Action against Netherlands High Commissioner
Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia (2 Jul 1954): a committee of cooperating parties and organisations, including Gerwani with PKI, PNI, NU and SOBSI, urges the government to declare Netherlands High Commissioner Count van Bylandt persona non grata, recall the delegation from The Hague, end the Union and form a West Irian admini
Indonesian parties act against High Commissioner: committee asks unilateral end of Union
Ons Noorden (3 Jul 1954): a committee of 31 cooperating parties and organisations, Gerwani among them with PKI, PNI, NU and SOBSI, urges the government to declare Netherlands High Commissioner Count van Bylandt persona non grata, recall the delegation from The Hague, end the Netherlands–Indonesia Union and form a West
Java-Bode 30 Nov 1954, page: Gerwani congress (whole page)
Whole-page OCR of Java-Bode, 30 November 1954, p. 2. The only Gerwani item is the Bandung branch congress: sympathy for Maisuri (forced marriage victim), call to abolish forced marriage, ban modern dances and immoral films, and support for the Ali-Arifin cabinet. Other articles cover West Irian at the UN, the Chinese a
Gerwani congress (newspaper page, early December 1954)
Whole newspaper page, Indische Courant voor Nederland, c. 1-4 Dec 1954 (columns interleaved). Gerwani-relevant item: Bandung branch congress backs Maisuri, opposes forced marriage and 'immoral' films, supports the Ali cabinet. Other articles: PRN women's congress, no-confidence motion, West Irian at the UN, Bogor confe
Mass demonstration in Jakarta demands incorporation of West Irian
De Locomotief, 6 Dec 1954: tens of thousands rally on Merdeka Square, Jakarta, organised by the West Irian liberation committee with women's associations. Speakers include Umi Sardjono of Gerwani, who read out the resolution demanding unilateral incorporation of West Irian, severing relations with the Netherlands and a
Mass demonstration in Jakarta demands incorporation of West Irian (duplicate copy)
Second copy of the De Locomotief report of 6 Dec 1954 on the Merdeka Square mass meeting for West Irian. Umi Sardjono of Gerwani spoke and read the resolution demanding unilateral incorporation, severing of Dutch relations and abrogation of the agreements; text differs slightly in wording ('colonial Dutch government').
Mass demonstration on Medan Merdeka for West Irian
De Nieuwsgier front-page report (6 Dec 1954) on a mass demonstration at Medan Merdeka, Jakarta, organised by the West Irian liberation committee with women's organisations, demanding incorporation of Irian and rupture with the Netherlands. Speakers included Mrs. Sudarman Hadikusumo, Mrs. Kartowijono (Perwari) and Mrs.
Mass demonstration in Jakarta for incorporation of West Irian
Java-Bode, 6 December 1954, p. 2: report on a mass rally at Merdeka Square, Jakarta, by the West Irian liberation committee with the women's associations' central body, drawing tens of thousands. Umi Sardjono of Gerwani read the resolution demanding unilateral incorporation of West Irian, breaking relations with the Ne
West Irian struggle committee: meeting and procession in Semarang
De Locomotief, 13 Dec 1954: Semarang public meeting of the West Irian struggle committee draws thousands, with speakers from Gerwani, PSII, PNI, PKI and the Biro Pusat urging national unity. A kilometres-long procession of about 50,000 people followed, with wreaths laid at Tugu Muda.
Indonesia in a bird's-eye view
Java-Bode, 13 February 1957, p. 2: column of Indonesian miscellany (shipping, floods, police study trip to Japan, FAO expert). One item says 28 parties and organisations in Maluku and West Irian, including PNI, PKI, PSII, Gerwani and Badan Rebut Irian, telegraphed the Indonesian UN delegation backing Indonesia's West I
President Sukarno brings new strength to the Indonesian people (Renmin Ribao, 17 February 1958)
Renmin Ribao commentary, 17 Feb 1958, p. 5: praises Sukarno's nine-nation tour, backs Indonesia's West Irian claim and calls the PRRI/Permesta rebels imperialist-instigated. Notes that SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, BTI and seventeen Sumatran organisations backed the arrest of the rebels, and cites Aidit's call to brin
President Sukarno brings new strength to the Indonesian people (Renmin Ribao, 17 February 1958)
Renmin Ribao commentary, 17 Feb 1958, p. 5: praises Sukarno's nine-nation tour, backs Indonesia's West Irian claim and calls the PRRI/Permesta rebels imperialist-instigated. Notes that SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, BTI and seventeen Sumatran organisations backed the arrest of the rebels, and cites Aidit's call to brin
Birth and Growth of the Indonesian Women's Movement, Part III (Sulami, 1959)
Part III of Sulami's 1959 history: KOWANI conflicts and 1948 Solo congress, founding of Gerwis at Semarang (4 June 1950), its 1954 renaming as Gerwani, structure with six commissions, membership growth (6,000 Java 1951; 642,460 in January 1957; 700,000 at the Third Congress, Solo, Dec 1957), 1955 election results (5 MP
FBIS, 27 March 1960: Sukarno names National Front committee
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio text (27 Mar 1960) of Presidential Decision No. 34 of 1960 appointing the Preparatory Committee for the National Front, with Sukarno's installation speech. Among functional-group members are Mrs Supeni and Mrs Umi Sardjono (Gerwani leader), alongside D.N. Aidit in the political group; Arudj
Almanac of State Institutions and Parties (1961)
Government reference almanac issued by the Department of Information (Departemen Penerangan), June 1961, on the institutions of Guided Democracy: MPRS, DPR-GR, DPAS, Depernas, Bapekan, Front Nasional and recognised parties, with decrees, membership lists and party statutes. Gerwani appears only once, as the women's del
Pravda, 18 Dec 1961: Fourth Gerwani Congress
Pravda no. 353, 18 December 1961 (full issue). Page 3 has a dispatch by correspondent O. Skalkin from Jakarta on the Fourth Gerwani Congress: 400 delegates from Java, Moluccas, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan; Sukarno's speech condemning anti-communism, backing NASAKOM and the West Irian claim, and praising Soviet support. N
Pravda, 18 Dec 1961: Fourth Gerwani Congress (excerpt)
Pravda no. 353, 18 December 1961 (excerpt of the page). Page 3 has a dispatch by correspondent O. Skalkin from Jakarta on the Fourth Gerwani Congress: 400 delegates from Java, Moluccas, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan; Sukarno's speech condemning anti-communism, backing NASAKOM and the West Irian claim, and praising Soviet s
The Communist Party of Indonesia 1951-1961: A Decade of the Aidit Leadership (Hindley, 1961)
Donald Hindley's 1961 ANU PhD thesis on the Indonesian Communist Party under the Aidit leadership, 1951-1961, covering PKI strategy, party-building, finances, mass organisations and elections. Section 'Women' (pp. 422-448, esp. 'Gerwani', pp. 428-441) traces Gerwis from its founding on 4 June 1950 (about 500 members) t
Gerwani holds congress; Sukarno calls for unity to recover West Irian (Renmin Ribao, 16 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 16 Dec 1961, p. 3 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Gerwani's Fourth National Congress opens on 14 Dec with over 400 delegates; Umi Sardjono's opening address stresses the 1945 revolution's aims and West Irian. Guests include Chinese, Soviet and East German delegations, Aidit and PNI's Sidik. Sukarno speaks, rejecting '
Gerwani holds congress; Sukarno calls for unity to recover West Irian (Renmin Ribao, 16 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 16 Dec 1961, p. 3 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Gerwani's Fourth National Congress opens on 14 Dec with over 400 delegates; Umi Sardjono's opening address stresses the 1945 revolution's aims and West Irian. Guests include Chinese, Soviet and East German delegations, Aidit and PNI's Sidik. Sukarno speaks, rejecting '
Sukarno orders preparation to liberate West Irian; Gerwani congress closes (Renmin Ribao, 20 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 20 Dec 1961, p. 3 (Xinhua): leading item on Sukarno's 19 Dec Yogyakarta 'Order to the People' (Trikora). A Jakarta item reports Gerwani's Fourth Congress closing 17 Dec: West Irian resolution, UN telegram for PRC's seat, Aidit's greetings, Guo Jian's speech, a new Central Committee under Umi Sardjono, and
Sukarno orders preparation to liberate West Irian; Gerwani congress closes (Renmin Ribao, 20 December 1961)
Renmin Ribao, 20 Dec 1961, p. 3 (Xinhua): leading item on Sukarno's 19 Dec Yogyakarta 'Order to the People' (Trikora). A Jakarta item reports Gerwani's Fourth Congress closing 17 Dec: West Irian resolution, UN telegram for PRC's seat, Aidit's greetings, Guo Jian's speech, a new Central Committee under Umi Sardjono, and
Pravda, 28 Apr 1962: Aidit's report to the Seventh (Extraordinary) PKI Congress
Pravda no. 118, 28 April 1962 (full issue). Page 4 reports D. N. Aidit's report to the Seventh (Extraordinary) PKI Congress (Jakarta): Guided Democracy, elections, West Irian, Malaysia, SEATO, party mass organisations. Gerwani appears in a single sentence, credited with 'important progress' in expanding organisation, m
Pravda, 28 Apr 1962: Aidit's report to the Seventh PKI Congress (excerpt)
Pravda no. 118, 28 April 1962 (excerpt of the page). Page 4 reports D. N. Aidit's report to the Seventh (Extraordinary) PKI Congress (Jakarta): Guided Democracy, elections, West Irian, Malaysia, SEATO, party mass organisations. Gerwani appears in a single sentence, credited with 'important progress' in expanding organi
Dilemmas of Indonesian Communism (van der Kroef, 1962)
Article by Justus M. van der Kroef (Pacific Affairs, summer 1962) on the PKI's dilemmas under Guided Democracy: dependence on Sukarno, the July 1960 'Evaluation' clash with the army, and the party's use of mass fronts. Gerwani is named as the PKI's women's front: its organ was aggressive without censure in 1961, and in
Recognise the Indonesian just claim: Unite to build friendship!
Tribune (Sydney), 10 Jan 1962, p. 1 front-page editorial backing Sukarno's proclamation of West Irian as an Indonesian province and attacking the Menzies government and ALP leader Calwell. Gerwani appears only in a photo caption: delegates welcome Sukarno at the opening night in Jakarta of the recent Gerwani National C
Recognise the Indonesian just claim: Unite to build friendship!
Tribune (Sydney), 10 Jan 1962, p. 1 front-page editorial backing Sukarno's proclamation of West Irian as an Indonesian province and attacking the Menzies government and ALP leader Calwell. Gerwani appears only in a photo caption: delegates welcome Sukarno at the opening night in Jakarta of the recent Gerwani National C