Documents seized (arrests in Surabaya, August 1951)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (20 Aug 1951, p.1) on the Surabaya arrests of 26 people during the August 1951 round-up: journalists (Go Tjing Hok etc.), SOBSI chair Surono and Sutomo, PKI chair Hutapea, and Mrs Parjani Ilham, chair of the women's organisation Gerwis. Police seized documents and portraits of Mao, Lenin and
Again numerous arrests in Indonesia
Het Vaderland front-page report (20 Aug 1951) on the escalating arrests of communists across Indonesia: 26 in East Java including Java Post editor Go Tjing Hok, the local PKI chair and SOBSI leaders, and Mrs Parjani Ilham, chair of the women's organisation 'Gerwis'; 50 in Bandung with SOBSI offices sealed; 175 in East
Arrests in East Java: strict control of the press
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 20 August 1951: reports the August 1951 mass arrests in East Java (the 'Razzia Agustus') of 26 people in Surabaya including journalists, PKI local chair Hutapea, Sobsi's Surono and Sutomo, and the Gerwis chairwoman Mrs Parjani Ilham; 175 more arrested in Malang, Bojonegoro, Madiun and Kediri
Various arrests also made in East Java
Nijmeegsch Dagblad (20 Aug 1951) on the August 1951 arrests in East Java: 26 detained including journalists, the local PKI chairman and SOBSI unionists. Among them is Gerwis chairwoman Mrs Parjani Ilham of Surabaya. Officials deny a group is targeted; press control is to be tightened.
26 persons arrested in East Java
Provinciale Overijsselsche en Zwolsche Courant (20 Aug 1951): 26 arrests in East Java including Javapost editor Go Tjing Hok, journalists, the Surabaya PKI chairman, SOBSI unionists and Gerwis chairwoman Mrs Parjani Ilham. Authorities say the arrests target no particular group or ideology. Part of the August 1951 raids
Dozens more arrests in East and West Java: Sobsi offices occupied in Bandung
Trouw (20 Aug 1951) on the August 1951 arrests: 26 detained in East Java including journalists, the PKI branch chairman, SOBSI unionists and Gerwis chairwoman Mrs Parjani Ilham; 50 communists arrested in Bandung and SOBSI offices sealed. Attorney General warns of tighter press control; 17 August passed quietly.
Arrests in East Java
Winschoter Courant (20 Aug 1951): 26 arrested in East Java, among them Javapost editor Go Tjing Hok, other editors, the Surabaya PKI chairman, SOBSI unionists and Gerwis chairwoman Mrs Parjani Ilham. Officials say no group or ideology is targeted. Part of the August 1951 raids.
Abadi, 24 August 1951, p. 3: Gerwis Central Board Protests Arrests
Abadi, 24 Aug 1951, p. 3: Gerwis central board protests the August 1951 mass arrests that included Gerwis members (one named Parjani) and demands their release.
Abadi, 25 August 1951, p. 1: '1001 Questions' Column, Gerwis Reception in Bukittinggi
Abadi, 25 Aug 1951, p. 1: satirical note on a Gerwis reception in Bukittinggi where greetings of 'merdeka' and 'bebas' left the Gerwis city representative hesitating.
Journalists also among those arrested in East Java
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 25 Aug 1951, p. 1: the August 1951 raids in East Java. About 26 arrested in Surabaya, including Mrs Parjani Ilham, chairwoman of Gerwis there, journalists, Sobsi and PKI local leaders; about 175 arrested across East Java. Police seized pictures of Mao, Lenin and Stalin.
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
FBIS, 17 September 1951: Women's leader arrested (S.K. Trimurti)
FBIS item (17 Sep 1951): Mrs S.K. Trimurti, chairman of the Executive Committee of Gerwis (Indonesian Women's Movement), was arrested on 16 Sept on the Attorney General's orders while applying at the Jakarta Immigration Office for a passport to visit China for the 1 October anniversary celebrations of the PRC. Key reco
Abadi, 18 September 1951, p. 2: S.K. Trimurti Arrested
Abadi, 18 Sept 1951, p. 2: Antara report that Gerwis chair S.K. Trimurti was arrested on the Attorney General's order on 17 Sept 1951 at the Jakarta immigration office while arranging a passport for China; Sukiman-era anticommunist climate.
Abadi, 21 September 1951, p. 2: Reasons for S.K. Trimurti's Detention
Abadi, 21 Sept 1951, p. 2: Attorney General's spokesman tells Gerwis that Trimurti is held over seized 'important letters'; the legal basis is unexplained, detention length tied to her 'confessions', she is moved to Cipinang without visits.
The arrest of Mrs Trimurti
De Nieuwsgier, 21 Sept 1951 (PIA): Gerwis, of which S.K. Trimurti is chair, reports the Attorney General's spokesman's explanation of her arrest: it was decided in mid-August, she could not be traced, and arrest at the immigration office was coincidence ('as with robbers'). An investigation has begun. Documents the 195
The arrest of Mrs Trimurti (full page, 21 Sept 1951)
Full page of De Nieuwsgier, 21 Sept 1951, with the same PIA report on S.K. Trimurti's arrest: Gerwis, whose chair she is, relays the Attorney General's explanation that it was decided in mid-August and carried out at the immigration office by coincidence. Other items on the page (British elections, desawacht, Kendal ho
Merdeka, 21 September 1951: On the arrest of S.K. Trimurti
Merdeka, 21 September 1951 (hlm. 2): 'Sekitar penangkapan S.K. Trimurti': Gerwis central board communiqué relaying in nine points the Attorney General's answers on the arrest of its vice-chair; ordered mid-August, letters found, detention depending on her statements.
Abuses in Indonesian prisons: conditions of the August 1951 detainees
De Waarheid, 27 Oct 1951, p. 3: correspondent's article on poor food, medical care and conditions of those arrested in Indonesia since August 1951 under the Sukiman government (Cipinang prison, Malang, Banten), including named detainees. Ends with a Gerwis statement calling the arrest of its leader (S.K.) Trimurti and
Abuses in Indonesian prisons (full newspaper page, 27 Oct 1951)
Full De Waarheid page, 27 Oct 1951 (p. 3), mostly unrelated Dutch and international news (British elections, Tito, Rotterdam court, serial novel, notices). Only the Indonesia article, 'Wantoestanden in Indonesische gevangenissen', is relevant: poor prison conditions for those arrested since August 1951, and a Gerwis st
Readers' opinions: Gebeo and Luna
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad readers' page (1951-11-01, p. 3); mostly a letter about street lighting. A final news item says the Gerwis central board supports Tan Po Goan's parliamentary interpellation on the security action and demands release of all persons detained in the August 1951 raids.
Abadi, 30 January 1952, p. 2: Gerwis Member's Books Seized by Customs
Abadi, 30 Jan 1952, p. 2: customs at Tanjung Priok seized books of Gerwis member Nuraini (Langsa), including a Gerwis congress report, Bintang Merah and the Communist Manifesto, as 'proven communist leanings'.
Abadi, 4 February 1952, p. 2: World Youth Solidarity Day Committee
Abadi, 4 Feb 1952, p. 2: provisional committee including Gerwis, Lekra and Pemuda Rakjat to celebrate 21 February 1952 world youth solidarity day.
Pancasila proves a hindrance: Gerwis explains adoption of People's Democracy
De Vrije Pers report (12 Feb 1952) on a Gerwis meeting explaining its adoption of "People's Democracy" instead of Pancasila as its basis, since Pancasila had hampered organising. Speakers (Miss Moedjiati, Miss Muninggar) described anti-imperialist, anti-feudal aims, a national front against the RTC, and insisted Gerwis
Abadi, 1 March 1952, p. 2: International Women's Day Committee in Palembang
Abadi, 1 Mar 1952, p. 2: Palembang women's organisations form a committee for International Women's Day chaired by Rochani Mailan of Gerwis; also reports of Krawang mothers selling children for rice.
Abadi, 5 March 1952, p. 2: Gerwis Wants a Coalition Cabinet
Abadi, 5 Mar 1952, p. 2: during the cabinet crisis after the Sukiman cabinet fell, the Gerwis central board demands a coalition cabinet of religious, nationalist, socialist and progressive groups.
Abadi, 10 March 1952, p. 3: International Women's Day in Jakarta
Abadi, 10 Mar 1952, p. 3: Antara report on Jakarta's International Women's Day celebration by nine women's organisations with Gerwis as general secretariat (about 1,000 attended, incl. MPs Mudigdo and Susilowati); Perwari asks for a woman minister.
Gerwis questioned by DPKN officers about Trimurti's arrest (Harian Rakjat, 19 March 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 19 Mar 1952, p.2: brief report that three DPKN (state security investigation) officials visited the Gerwis Rawasari branch in Jakarta on 17 March 1952 and questioned members on Gerwis's attitude to Trimurti's recent arrest and who represents Gerwis in Parliament. Gerwis answered as far as possible; the p
Gerwis Kebumen: Siti Asiyah threatened by her office (Harian Rakjat, 20 March 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 20 Mar 1952, p.2: report from Kebumen that Siti Asiyah, a civil servant (Japen office) and deputy chair of the new Gerwis branch in Kebumen and Gerwis vice-chair of the 8 March International Women's Day committee, was repeatedly summoned and warned or threatened by her office head not to be active in Ger
Meeting with tears: East Java committee of victims of the August raids
De Vrije Pers item (24 Mar 1952): the East Java Committee of Victims of the August Raids met in Surabaya with thirty residency delegates and PKI and Gerwis Surabaya branches; reports on detainees moved many to tears. A resolution urged speedy release, support for families, payment of civil servants' salaries and visiti
Release of detainees requested
Java-Bode, 25 Mar 1952, p. 2: East Java conference of the Committee for Victims of the August Raid in Surabaya with PKI and Gerwis delegates; resolution demands release of Kediri detainees, support for families and visiting rights. Same text as the Indische Courant item of 29 Mar 1952.