Trial begins in Jakarta: Dutch woman defends Untung
Trouw (14 Feb 1966): on the eve of the Untung and Njono trials in Jakarta, Dutch-born lawyer Trees Soenito-Heyligers, herself a PKI member, takes on the defence after others refused. Profiles her and her husband as 'non-extreme' communists with Leiden training. No mention of Gerwani; context for the 1965-66 Mahmillub t
Dutch woman sole defender
ANP report in Algemeen Dagblad (1966-02-15) on Dutch-born lawyer Trees Sunito-Heyligers, the only Indonesian jurist willing to defend PKI/SOBSI leader Njono before the special military tribunal. Her husband Sunito was jailed after the coup and she was dismissed from the state bank. No Gerwani mention; context for the 1
Not public: the Njono trial
Limburgsch Dagblad, 15 February 1966, p. 1: start of the closed Mahmillub trial of SOBSI leader Njono, who says he was told to inform Sukarno of a 'council of generals' but joined the coup instead. Students demanded a public trial; only selected journalists are admitted. Njono is defended by Dutch-born lawyer Trees Soe
After death-penalty demand: Njono's counsel pleads acquittal
Trouw (21 Feb 1966): after the prosecutor demanded the death penalty for SOBSI leader Njono, his lawyer Trees Soenito-Heyligers argues nothing proves a plot to overthrow the government; Njono gave an hour-long political defence. Lawyer complains of two days' preparation; PKI-linked Colonel Latief reportedly arrested. N
Berita Yudha, 18 May 1966
Berita Yudha, 18 Mei 1966. Antara: 'Tiga tokoh PKI diringkus di rumah seorang Gerwani', arrest of SOBSI Semarang secretary Pita Hardjosoemarto in the house of a woman Toemini, alleged local Gerwani member.
Berita Yudha, 28 May 1966
Berita Yudha, 28 Mei 1966. Mahmillub trial of ex-Air Force Maj. Sujono: Heru Atmodjo says Sujono was responsible for training PR, SOBSI and Gerwani at Lubang Buaya; deputy Gatot Sukrisno says about 4,000 trained.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 18 June 1966
Angkatan Bersendjata, 18 Juni 1966. Front-page editorial welcoming KODAM Jaya's ban on Partindo members at MPRS, arguing Partindo drew its members from the PKI, SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani; Suharto warns against the 'Lubang Buaya trap'.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 13 September 1966. 'Bung Piket' retrospective names 'the PKI with its accomplices BTI, SOBSI, PR, GERWANI, BAPERKI, HSI, CGMI' as the 'thieves' of October 1965; issue also rich in items on women including Fatmawati Sukarno.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 9 October 1966 (Weekly Edition)
Angkatan Bersendjata, 9 Oktober 1966 (edisi Mingguan). Cultural-page polemic against Lekra calls it a 'myth' that 'without Gerwani the women's movement has no meaning'; issue dominated by ABRI's 21st anniversary and the Subandrio trial.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 5 August 1967
Angkatan Bersendjata, 5 Agustus 1967. Siliwangi commander Dharsono hands West Java prosecutors case files of 141 'G.30.S/PKI persons' from Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI, Gerwani and Lekra; Sukarno confined to Bogor.
Indonesian protests abroad against stance of Soviet leaders
De Waarheid, 4 Nov 1967, p. 3: report that Indonesian representatives abroad of SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani protested Soviet leaders' stance towards the Suharto regime. SOBSI secretary Setiati Surasto condemned a Soviet union delegation's January 1967 visit; Gerwani rejected a 'hypocritical' WIDF resolution in Eas
Dutch woman lawyer arrested in Jakarta on suspicion of HSI membership
De Nieuwe Limburger, 5 Jan 1968 (Reuters): Jakarta police arrest Dutch lawyer Mrs Mr Trees Soenito-Heyligers, from Zwolle, on suspicion of membership of the banned communist scholars' association HSI. Two years earlier she had defended trade union leader Njono, sentenced to death for the 1965 coup.
Beatrix and Claus hunting in the Federal Republic (item on arrest of Trees Soenito-Heyligers)
Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 5 January 1968, p. 1: short wire item under an unrelated royal-hunt headline: Jakarta police arrested Dutch-born lawyer Trees Soenito-Heyligers as a suspected member of the banned HSI; two years earlier she defended SOBSI leader Njono, who was sentenced to death. No Gerwani content.
Arrest of Mrs Soenito in Jakarta
Tubantia (5 Jan 1968): Jakarta police arrest Zwolle-born lawyer Trees Soenito-Heyligers on suspicion of membership of the banned Himpunan Sarjana Indonesia; she had defended SOBSI leader Njono, sentenced to death. Biographical detail on her and her husband Soenito, arrested after the coup. No Gerwani content.
Dutch jurist arrested
Nederlands Dagblad, 6 January 1968, p. 1: brief report that Jakarta police arrested Dutch-born lawyer Trees Soenito-Heyligers on suspicion of membership in the banned scholars' association HSI; she had defended SOBSI leader Njono, who was sentenced to death for the 1965 coup. A second item on Cyprus is unrelated. No Ge
Berita Yudha, 18 March 1968
Berita Yudha, 18 Maret 1968. Operation Sambar Raga in Surabaya (Jan–13 Mar 1968) arrested 79 members and leaders of CC PKI, SOBSI, Gerwani, Pemuda Rakyat and CGMI, alleged to be organised in a 'Tri Komando Kota'.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 20 September 1968. Introduction to W.W. Tjokro's memoir series 'Mengungkap 30 September '65' claims Chinese ships delivered weapons 'to PR, Gerwani and SOBSI' before the coup.
Legislatif Jaya: Jakarta Legislature Magazine, 1969-1970
Legislatif Jaya, the monthly magazine of the Jakarta provincial legislature (DPRD-GR DCI Jakarta), bound volume for 1969-70 under Governor Ali Sadikin. It carries council news, committee reports, regulations, speeches (including a Kartini Day address on women's duty, 1970) and a register of council decisions of 1966. T
RAND memorandum RM-5753-PR (Feb 1969), Guy J. Pauker, 'The Rise and Fall of the Communist Party of Indonesia'. Argues, from trial records, that Aidit planned the 30 September action against the generals and traces PKI strategy, the Chinese turn, the agrarian 'unilateral actions' and the killings (up to 300,000), and th
A Quarter Century of the Indonesian Parliament (1970)
Official institutional history, 'Seperempat Abad DPR RI', compiled by the DPR-GR Secretariat for the 25th anniversary in August 1970; it traces parliament from the KNIP to 1970 with membership rosters. For Gerwani it matters in the 1965-66 chapters: it records the NU demand (5 Oct 1965) to ban Gerwani, the 15 Oct 1965
The revolution passes Indonesia by: interview with Ernst Utrecht
Second half of a De Volkskrant interview (29 Aug 1970) with Prof. Ernst Utrecht on his book on Indonesia ahead of Suharto's Dutch visit. Utrecht says the Jakarta branches of Gerwani and Pemuda Rakyat "wanted to take part and did take part" in the 1965 coup, that the PKI leadership said these were independent organisati
TAPOL Bulletin no. 9, March 1975: Women on Trial
TAPOL Bulletin no. 9 (March 1975) front page 'Women on Trial': photo of Sulami, Sudjinah, Sri Ambar Rukmiati and Suharti Harsono at their 3 Feb 1975 trial for subversion, with a Lubang Buaya sewing-and-cooking allegation. Early international attention to Gerwani trials.
Thousands of Indonesian women still languish in Suharto's prisons
Tribune (Sydney), 20 May 1975, p. 7, abridged from the British magazine TAPOL (Mar 1975): thousands of women remain among about 100,000 political prisoners. Describes Gerwani's work, its banning, the sexual slander ('sex-maniacs', mutilation claims) as fuelling the massacres, torture and rape of women tapols, Plantunga
Thousands of Indonesian women still languish in Suharto's prisons
Tribune (Sydney), 20 May 1975, p. 7, abridged from the British magazine TAPOL (Mar 1975): thousands of women remain among about 100,000 political prisoners. Describes Gerwani's work, its banning, the sexual slander ('sex-maniacs', mutilation claims) as fuelling the massacres, torture and rape of women tapols, Plantunga
NVB demands freedom for Gerwani women (full newspaper page, 21 Jun 1975)
Full De Waarheid page, 21 Jun 1975 (p. 5), mostly unrelated (Mokum 700 festival, EEC steel output, farmers' protests). The relevant article reports the NVB's call to protest the Jakarta trial of four Gerwani women: life demanded for Sulami (about 50), 20 years for Suharti Harsono, Sri Ambar Rukmijati and Sudjinah, accu
Protests (NVB appeal for four Gerwani women)
De Waarheid, 21 Jun 1975, p. 5: boxed NVB appeal to protest the sentences on four Gerwani women, noting Sri Ambar and Sudjinah were officials of the banned SOBSI and that all four are internationally known for women's and union work. Calls for halting financial aid to the Suharto regime, restoring democratic rights and
Brave stance before tribunal: 'No regret for activities': heavy sentences against Indonesian women
De Waarheid, 11 Jul 1975, p. 1: report that the Jakarta tribunal sentenced four women: Sulami, secretary of the banned Gerwani, to twenty years; Sudjinah, editor of the organisation's paper, 18 years; Sri Ambar, SOBSI board member, and Suharti, BTI board member, 15 years each. Headlined as courageous conduct before the
Brave stance before tribunal: heavy sentences against Indonesian women (reprint 12 Jul 1975)
De Waarheid, 12 Jul 1975, p. 1: reprint of the report that the Jakarta tribunal sentenced four women: Sulami, secretary of the banned Gerwani, to twenty years; Sudjinah, editor of the organisation's paper, 18 years; Sri Ambar (SOBSI board) and Suharti (BTI board) 15 years each. Headlined 'courageous conduct before the
Indonesian Women (Tharunka, 30 July 1975)
Tharunka (UNSW student paper), 30 July 1975, p. 8, article 'Indonesian Women' on women political prisoners after 1965. It describes Gerwani as the largest left women's organisation, targeted by a press campaign depicting members as sex-maniacs and Lubang Buaya participants, and banned in October 1965. It reports at lea
Indonesian Women: The Banned Women's Organisation (Tharunka, 30 July 1975)
Tharunka (UNSW student paper), 30 July 1975, p. 8, clean OCR of the article 'Indonesian Women: The Banned Women's Organisation' (same article as GA-00274). It presents Gerwani as unaffiliated with the PKI, then attacked in 1965 by press stories of 'Gerwani prostitutes', 'obscene sex-dancing' and genital mutilation of g