PKI has one million members: Aidit interview with Ogonyok
De Waarheid, 23 Mar 1956, p. 2: Moscow dispatch that the PKI has one million members, per Aidit in an interview with the Soviet magazine Ogonyok; SOBSI has 2.6 million, the peasant union BTI 2.5 million, Pemuda Rakjat 700,000 and Gerwani about 500,000. Useful as a contemporary membership figure for Gerwani.
Indonesian women briefly in Amsterdam en route to Budapest working women's conference
De Waarheid, 24 May 1956, p. 4: report on eight Indonesian women briefly in Amsterdam en route to the international conference of working women in Budapest (until 17 June), after a Soviet visit. They represent health, tea or cigarette, industrial and union workers, including Suhartini, Sutjati, Sudjinem, Supinah, Sumar
Moscow News, 30 May 1956: Indonesian women's delegation in Moscow
Moscow News (English), 30 May 1956, p. 5. Among general items (Afghan independence day, Anglo-Soviet and trade comment), a short piece reports a delegation of Indonesian women arriving in Moscow at the invitation of the Central Council of Trade Unions, led by Setiati Surasto, secretary of the plantation workers' union,
Indonesian women workers' delegation (Darmini, Gerwani) refused entry to Thailand (Bintang Timur, 5 July 1956)
Bintang Timur, 5 July 1956, p. 1 (four-page issue). Reports that the Indonesian women workers' delegation returning from the world women workers' conference in Budapest was refused entry/visas in Thailand on the way back via Copenhagen and told to continue flying or be jailed. Ten delegates are named from trade unions,
Parliament discusses the 1956 budget
De Nieuwsgier report (23 Nov 1956) on the parliamentary general debate on the 1956 budget with 19 speakers. Mrs. Umi Sardjono (Pembangunan) opposed reducing the deficit through higher taxes, which raise prices of necessities, urged that foreign companies and capitalists close the gap, and asked for a separate budget fo
Terror in Central Sumatra: Banteng Council arrests PKI members and Gerwani leaders
De Waarheid, 28 Feb 1957, p. 7: short report that the rebel 'Banteng Council' in Central Sumatra has set up a terror regime, arresting PKI members, unionists and democrats, and placing prominent members of the women's organisation Gerwani under 'town arrest'. SOBSI in Jakarta decided to call protest strikes. Early repo
Umi Sardjono article and Mudigdio speech in parliament; Gerwani defends menstrual leave (Harian Rakjat, 7 March 1957)
Harian Rakjat, 7 Mar 1957, p. 3: includes an article by Ny. Umi Sardjono for International Women's Day on women's struggle and rights (alongside a science piece), a DPR report with Ny. Mudigdio (PKI) speaking on 6 March, and Gerwani branch items. Notes 46 organisations including Gerwani opposing abolition of menstrual
SOBSI and price rise
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1957-07-10, p. 2): on 6 July a SOBSI National Council delegation led by Setiati Surasto met Labour Minister Samjono about rising prices of daily necessities, suggesting that labour unions be involved in solving the problem; the minister promised attention and SOBSI will meet other m
Dr Hatta leads the development conference (Munas Pembangunan, 1957)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (27 Nov 1957, p.1): the National Development Conference chaired by Hatta, attended by Sukarno and Djuanda. Twelve morning speakers; Trimurti of the National Council proposes considering the pre-advice of Sukarno, Hatta and Djuanda after the general debate; others propose committees, national
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1958): National Conference of Communist Women
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1958) analysis of the First National Conference of Communist Women (Jakarta, 26-31 May 1958). Aidit's address presents the 'Communist woman' and calls for a wider Gerwani; Suharti Suwarto (Gerwani second deputy chair) and Sundari report on women's groups, only 100,000 women PKI membe
Captain Cook with strangely quiet children: the Dutch house, a cold deserted harbour
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 20 January 1958, p. 3: reporter's account of the arrival at IJmuiden of the Captain Cook with about a thousand Dutch and Indo-Dutch evacuees expelled from Indonesia after the December 1957 takeover of Dutch enterprises. It records broken families, fears and a claim that communist union cars
40 Years of the PKI
'40 Tahun PKI', compiled by the PKI History Institute (Lembaga Sejarah PKI) for the party's 40th anniversary, Yayasan Pembaruan, Jakarta 1960, following D.N. Aidit's 'Lahirnya PKI dan perkembangannya'. A party-line history from the 1920 founding through the 1926 uprising, Japanese occupation, revolution and the VI Cong
Pravda, 1960: voice of Indonesian mothers; Setiati Surasto of SOBSI
Pravda, No. 40, c. 9 Feb 1960, p. 3 (selected page). Jakarta dispatch 'The voice of Indonesian mothers' (8 Feb): women's-movement activist Sri Slamet, SOBSI National Council member Setiati Surasto and mother Maruto Nitimihardjo welcome Khrushchev's planned visit and general-disarmament proposal. Also a Gromyko-Adam Mal
Pravda, 1960: Setiati Surasto of SOBSI and Indonesian mothers (excerpt)
Keyword-hit excerpt of Pravda, No. 40, c. 9 Feb 1960, 'The voice of Indonesian mothers' (Jakarta, 8 Feb): women's activist Sri Slamet, SOBSI National Council member Setiati Surasto and mother Maruto Nitimihardjo greet Khrushchev's coming visit and back his general-disarmament proposal, framed as the wish of Indonesian
Indonesian Labor Conditions: Unions, December 1960
Short compilation of US embassy telegrams and airgrams (Dec 1960) on Indonesian labour and unions. A 3 Dec telegram reports the South Sumatra-Jambi military command's continued ban on PKI and affiliates including SOBSI, PERBUM, Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani after regulation changes; other items concern SOBSI and union cond
US Embassy Despatches on PKI Tactics and the SOBSI Women's Labour Seminar, May 1961
US Embassy Djakarta despatches to the State Department, May 1961. One reports conservative views (Mohammad Roem) that the PKI won a limited victory by gaining legal recognition. The other reports the SOBSI National Seminar on Labouring Women (Jakarta, 11-14 May 1961), attended by Djuanda and Gerwani central board membe
Indo-Viet TU declaration
Tribune (Sydney), 11 Apr 1962, p. 8: Indonesian (SOBSI) and Vietnamese trade unions issue a joint declaration of solidarity against American and Dutch imperialism after talks with a visiting SOBSI delegation of Hartono, Sukirno and Sri Ambar. Vietnamese side hails Indonesia's West Irian decision. Gerwani not named.
Indo-Viet TU declaration
Tribune (Sydney), 11 Apr 1962, p. 8: Indonesian (SOBSI) and Vietnamese trade unions issue a joint declaration of solidarity against American and Dutch imperialism after talks with a visiting SOBSI delegation of Hartono, Sukirno and Sri Ambar. Vietnamese side hails Indonesia's West Irian decision. Gerwani not named.
Communists of Indonesia beloved by the people
Tribune (Sydney), 23 May 1962, p. 9: Laurie Aarons, Communist Party of Australia fraternal delegate, praises the Seventh Congress of the PKI as a mass party (383 delegates, 'two million' members) led by D.N. Aidit, with Sukarno speaking at the closing rally. Lists the mass organisations it leads: BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani
Communists of Indonesia beloved by the people
Tribune (Sydney), 23 May 1962, p. 9: Laurie Aarons, Communist Party of Australia fraternal delegate, praises the Seventh Congress of the PKI as a mass party (383 delegates, 'two million' members) led by D.N. Aidit, with Sukarno speaking at the closing rally. Lists the mass organisations it leads: BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani
West Irian struggle for a healthier economy
Nieuw Guinea Koerier, 23 June 1962, p. 3: Setiati Surasto, an Indonesian delegate at the ILO conference in Geneva, says all progressive forces in Indonesia are uniting against Dutch colonial stubbornness in West Irian and that Indonesia will use other means if peaceful liberation fails, framing it as part of workers' s
With Manipol Strengthen the United Women's Front (Gerwani DPP Plenary, January 1963)
Api Kartini (1963) report by Ratna on the Gerwani DPP Plenary held in Jakarta, 6-10 January 1963, a year after the 4th Congress. Umi Sardjono's general report praised the Irian Barat victory and the end of the state of emergency (1 May 1963), and the plenary resolved to strengthen the Nasakom-based national front, supp
Indonesia Protest at Mass Arrests (News-Mail, 6 February 1963), duplicate OCR
News-Mail (Bundaberg), 6 February 1963, p. 7, AAP-Reuter wire from Jakarta (duplicate OCR of GA-00265, with scrambled columns). SOBSI cabled protest to Singapore over mass arrests of leftists on 2-3 February; Partindo and Gerwani also protested. Also reports Brunei's Sultan warning against Indonesian volunteers and Gen
Indonesia Protest at Mass Arrests (News-Mail, 6 February 1963)
News-Mail (Bundaberg), 6 February 1963, p. 7, AAP-Reuter wire from Jakarta (clean OCR). The SOBSI federation, claiming three million members, cabled Singapore condemning its mass arrests of leftists as a move to quell opposition to Malaysia, and Partindo and Gerwani also protested. The Sultan of Brunei warned against a
Straits Times, 6 Feb 1963: SOBSI protests to Singapore Government over mass arrests
Straits Times, 6 Feb 1963 (lead only). SOBSI cabled a protest to the Singapore government over mass arrests of leftists, speaking for three million Indonesian workers. Matched on Gerwani; the companion Berita Harian item reports Gerwani joined the protest.
Communists in Indonesia: isolated position despite five million followers
Algemeen Handelsblad analysis by a contributor (1963-06-01) on the PKI's isolated position despite about five million followers. It credits the PKI with 1 million members plus 1.5 million in 'the communist women's organisation Gerwani', and discusses food prices, the lifting of the state of siege, SOKSI's rise and West
JPRS 1964: Committee of the SOBSI Fourth National Congress (Setiati Surasto, Sri Ambar)
JPRS translation page (Translations on South and East Asia, no. 66-80, 1964-65, seq 266) listing the committee of SOBSI's Fourth National Congress. The Central Bureau has Moch. Munir as chairman and Mrs Setiati Surasto among the deputy chairmen; Sri Ambar is among the secretaries. Both are women named in the catalogue
Renmin Ribao, 16 May 1964: delegates at the international women workers' conference (Sri Ambar)
People's Daily, 16 May 1964, p. 4: report that Chinese, Indonesian and other delegates at an international women workers' conference upheld an anti-imperialist line against the Soviet delegate and 'Saiyang'. The excerpt quotes Sri Ambar, head of the Indonesian delegation, welcoming efforts for working-class unity and o
Renmin Ribao, 16 May 1964: delegates at the international women workers' conference (Sri Ambar)
People's Daily, 16 May 1964, p. 4: report that Chinese, Indonesian and other delegates at an international women workers' conference upheld an anti-imperialist line against the Soviet delegate and 'Saiyang'. The excerpt quotes Sri Ambar, head of the Indonesian delegation, welcoming efforts for working-class unity and o
Renmin Ribao, 25 May 1964: SOBSI women workers' delegation led by Sri Ambar arrives in Beijing
People's Daily, 25 May 1964, p. 3, a Xinhua report of 24 May: a SOBSI women workers' delegation led by Sri Ambar, SOBSI national council member and head of its women workers' department, arrives in Beijing with other foreign union delegates. Only an excerpt was retrieved. Sri Ambar Rukmiati is identified via the catalo