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
First anniversary of SOBSI
Short Het Dagblad (Batavia) item (2 Dec 1947, p.2) on the first anniversary of SOBSI, attended by President Sukarno, premier Amir Sjarifuddin and labour minister Mrs S.K. Trimurti. Sukarno's message said workers have a strong ideology and must avoid anarchy and capitalism. Context on Trimurti's labour role; no Gerwani
'17 August, a day of mourning': bitter announcement of a formed committee
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1950-08-14, p. 1): SOBSI, Rukun Tani Indonesia, the Front Nasional Pemuda and the women's organisation Gerwis, among others, form their own committee to commemorate 17 August 1950 because the government excluded organisations. They call the day one of mourning for a 'unitary state à la RTC' an
'Peace' demonstration in Medan
De Locomotief, 14 Aug 1950 (Aneta): about 5,000 attend a Medan peace-committee rally, mainly plantation, peasant and pedicab unions, with anti-American banners. Speakers include Tuti Rukmi for 'Indonesian women'. The resolution urges Indonesia not to join the 'imperialist war' in Korea and calls for a ban on atomic wea
'They were not allowed to take part': 17 August is a day of mourning
De Locomotief, 15 Aug 1950 (Aneta): SOBSI, Rukun Tani, a youth front, PRRI and the women's organisation GERWIS form a committee to commemorate the 'People's Proclamation of 17 August 1945', declaring 17 August 1950 a day of mourning because the RTC-style unitary state buries the 1945 republic. They protest the ban on b
SOBSI regards 17 August as a 'day of mourning': 'unitary state a la RTC'
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (15 Aug 1950, p.2): organisations including SOBSI, Rukun Tani Indonesia, Front Nasional Pemuda, PRRI and the women's organisation Gerwis formed a counter-committee, Panitya Peringatan Proklamasi Rakjat 17 Agustus 1945, after the government excluded parties from its commemoration committee. T
'We do not pay the bill'
De Locomotief, 6 Oct 1950: Semarang forms an action committee against the Aniem electricity tariff rise, representing 38 organisations, chaired by Dr Rustamadji of the Partai Rakjat. Gerwis sits on the committee alongside Partai Rakjat and the youth front; it was decided to send two delegates to Jakarta and not to pay
Indonesia celebrates International Children's Day: 25,000 came instead of 4,000
De Waarheid, 19 Jul 1951, p. 5: correspondent's report on Indonesia's first International Children's Day, held in Jakarta on 1 June 1951 with some 25,000 children instead of the expected 4,000. Initiated by the young women's organisation Gerwis, supported by Chinese groups, Pemuda Rakjat, SOBSI and the Peasants' Union
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
Indonesian workers defend their unity; Gerwis congress resolution on Round Table agreement
De Waarheid, 16 Jan 1952, p. 4: report on workers' protests against Sjahrir's PSI splitting unions (the Perbupri breakaway from SOBSI's plantation union Sarbupri in Jember). A closing section says the Gerwis annual congress in Surabaya unanimously demanded abolition of the Round Table Agreement and return of New Guinea
Indonesian cabinet crisis continues; Gerwis appeals after Sukiman's fall
De Waarheid, 18 Mar 1952, p. 2: news item on the Indonesian cabinet crisis after the fall of the Sukiman government over the US Mutual Security agreement signed by Subardjo. Notes that calls for an anti-fascist, anti-imperialist government reached Jakarta from the Gerwis national board, SOBSI and the peasants' union RT
Impressive demonstrations throughout Indonesia (May Day 1952)
De Waarheid, 2 May 1952, p. 3: dispatch on May Day demonstrations across Indonesian cities by committees including SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat and the women's organisation Gerwis; Jakarta rally at Merdeka Square. Reports government attempts to prevent them, including bans in Surabaya on discussing germ warfare and carrying po
Delegation to US embassy protests bacteriological war in Korea
De Nieuwsgier, 27 June 1952 (Sin Po): on the Korean War anniversary, a nine-organisation delegation including Gerwis, SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat, Lekra and the peace committee protests at the US embassy against alleged bacteriological warfare, but is turned away. They write to the foreign minister asking Indonesia to press f
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.
August detainees: SOBSI wants mass demonstration in Surabaya
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1952-08-28, p. 2): at a Surabaya press conference the committee for victims of the August 1951 raids, with SOBSI, plans a 7 September mass demonstration outside the governor's and Brawijaya commander's residences demanding release of all arrestees. Committee secretary Miss Sulami blames the RT
Action against widows' pensions continues
De Locomotief, 14 Oct 1952, city news: a Semarang meeting of the committee rejecting Government Regulation 19/52 on widows' pensions for civil servants with multiple wives draws great interest from women's organisations. Twelve bodies including SOBSI, Lekra, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis reject the law and decide to continu
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
Resolution to parliament
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1953-07-24, p. 2): delegation of SOBSI, Perbepsi, Komite Rakjat, IPPI and Gerwis hands parliament speaker Sartono a resolution demanding that the new cabinet be anti-Darul Islam and that the government declare DI an enemy of the state. Text ends abruptly.
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
Salatiga: national action committee formed
De Locomotief, 29 July 1953: Salatiga branches of SOBSI, BTI, PPDI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis jointly convene a meeting of 35 organisations and parties, which forms a national action committee and decides to send an open letter to Sukarno urging implementation of parliament's decisions and action against Darul Islam and
Committee formed to help victims of terror: Gerwis initiative
De Waarheid, 31 Jul 1953, p. 5: short Jakarta dispatch (20 July) that on Gerwis's initiative a committee was formed to assist victims of terrorist bands such as Darul Islam, joined by SOBSI, the veterans' league Perbepsi, student organisation IPPI and the peasants' union RTI. Shows Gerwis leading a relief and anti-Daru
The Free Press: demonstration against criminal trial
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1953-08-25, p. 2): in Surabaya the trial of 42 students for wrecking the Vrije Pers offices opened; thousands of students and pupils demonstrated against the prosecution, joined, per Harian Umum, by Gerwis, Pemuda Rakjat and SOBSI. Banners demanded a press law, abolition of Dutch-language use
Surabaya demonstration over the De Vrije Pers wrecking trial
De Nieuwsgier, 25 Aug 1953: in Surabaya the trial opens of 42 students over the April wrecking of De Vrije Pers; thousands of students and pupils demonstrated, with Gerwis, Pemuda Rakjat and SOBSI also taking part, demanding dropped charges, a press law, abolition of Dutch-language use and limits on Dutch dailies. A US
The destruction of 'De Vrije Pers'
Arnhemsche Courant, 26 Aug 1953: a small item says thousands of students and pupils, backed by the left-wing union SOBSI and Gerwis, demonstrated in Surabaya during the trial of 42 students over the wrecking of the Dutch-language daily De Vrije Pers, demanding dismissal of the case and curbs on the Dutch press. Rest of
Other trade unions: Sarbupri strike and BTI congress solidarity
De Vrije Pers fragment (17 Sep 1953) on trade-union reactions to the Sarbupri plantation workers' strike. It notes that the BTI's second congress, attended by SOBSI, Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwis representatives, declared solidarity with the strike and instructed its branches to support strikers.