'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
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
Reshuffle of the Women's Front in parliament (Harian Rakjat, 14 February 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 14 Feb 1952 (four-page issue; p.3): a short item that the parliamentary Women's Front (Front Wanita) was reshuffled, with Mrs Sukemi now chair and N. Suwarti secretary, replacing chair Mrs Mudigdo and a secretary whose name is garbled. Also a garbled note on a Gerwis Kebayoran branch meeting, a Soviet wo
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.
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
Delegation to Moscow International Economic Conference includes Kartinah (Gerwis) (Harian Rakjat, 2 April 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 2 Apr 1952, p.1: front page covers the new Wilopo cabinet and the Indonesian delegation to the international economic conference in Moscow, which lists Kartinah as Gerwis representative alongside delegates from Pemuda Rakyat, the peasant front and trade unions. The headline about 'equal spirit of women a
Gerwis protests at the Egyptian consulate
Java-Bode, 16 Apr 1952, p. 1: Gerwis hands a letter to the Egyptian consulate protesting the Cairo governor's ban on women voting in Egyptian elections, communicated to Doria Shafik of the Daughters of the Nile, and urges its withdrawal.
Suwarti, MP and chair of Gerwis, on the peace committee (Harian Rakjat, 3 May 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 3 May 1952. On p. 3 Suwarti, MP and general chair (ketua umum) of Gerwis, is listed among the Indonesians invited to join the preparatory committee for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference, alongside Siauw Giok Chan, Ir. Setiadi and others. Pp. 2-3 also report May Day 1952 rallies where Gerwis marched with
Harian Rakjat, 30 June 1952: Suwarti returns from the Vienna conference
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 30 June 1952 (full issue; p. 1 relevant). Reports that Suwarti, MP, sent by Gerwis in April to the Vienna conference on children's rights, returned to Jakarta; she describes contacts with WIDF, contrasts socialist and capitalist countries, announces the Peking peace conference, and complains tha
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.
For and against dissolution of parliament (full page)
Whole page, Java-Bode, 28 Oct 1952, on the dispute over dissolving parliament after the 17 October affair: demonstrations in Medan and Banjarmasin and statements by GPII and PIN. A Yogyakarta joint statement, signed by Gerwis, PKI, PNI and Partai Wanita Rakjat among others, urges early elections and warns that dissolvi
Parliamentary Proceedings 1953, Vol. II (Sittings 12-25)
Official record (Risalah Perundingan) of the Indonesian parliament (DPR RI), 1953, vol. II, sittings 12-25 (from 30 January 1953). It covers the debate on the election bill for the Konstituante and DPR, army and defence bills, emergency laws and private-land restitution. Gerwani is not discussed. The only direct trace
Women make demands on the government: Gerwis resolutions to Prime Minister Wilopo
De Waarheid, 29 Apr 1953, p. 6: short Jakarta dispatch (20 April) that Gerwis handed to Prime Minister Wilopo the resolutions from its recent conference: price controls, independent trade policy, firm action against security threats, and condemnation of attempts to drive peasants off their land in North Sumatra.
Latest news from Indonesia (4-7 May 1953)
Antara news roundup, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 13 May 1953, p. 4 (4-7 May). Relevant item: Setiati Surasto, Maasje Siwi and Kartinah left for the WIDF congress in Copenhagen. Rest covers the bank strike, the 17 October affair and the Wilopo cabinet's refusal to seek a confidence vote.
Mangunsarkoro (PNI) and Roem (Masjumi) cabinet formateurs
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 24 Jun 1953, p. 1: Sukarno appoints Mangunsarkoro (PNI) and Roem (Masjumi) as cabinet formateurs after Wilopo's fall; reports party programmes. Gerwis issues a statement urging a cabinet that protects working and pregnant women, curbs unemployment, raises education budgets, controls pri
New demonstrations in West Java? Delegation presents open letter to Sukarno
Aneta report in De Vrije Pers (16 Jul 1953) that a delegation of parties and groups (PPDI, Partai Buruh, PNI, PKI, Gerwis, Permai) which demonstrated in Bandung met Sukarno to present an open letter urging a decree declaring Darul Islam bands terrorists to be destroyed. The Badan Kontak Nasional demanded a progressive
Delegation of Bandung demonstrators to the president
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (17 Jul 1953, p.2): a delegation of PPDI, Partai Buruh, PNI, PKI, PRIM, Gerwis and Permai, after a large Bandung demonstration, met Sukarno to present an open letter asking for a decree declaring DI and other bands enemies of the state to be eradicated by force. Sukarno agreed personally but
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.
SOBSI urges an 'anti-DI cabinet'
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (25 Jul 1953, p.2): a delegation of SOBSI, Pwbebsi, Komité Rakjat, LPPI and Gerwis, led by Munir of SOBSI, handed Parliament's speaker a resolution from a Jakarta mass meeting demanding an 'anti-DI cabinet' and a decree declaring Darul Islam an enemy of the state. The delegation was received
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
Delegation of parties in South Sumatra to Jakarta
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (29 Jul 1953, p.2): a delegation of parties and organisations in Palembang flew to Jakarta with a joint declaration signed by six parties (PIR, PNI, PKI, Partai Buruh, Permai, Murba) and 22 organisations including SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis. It rejects a cabinet built on PNI and Ma
Merger of peasant unions
Java-Bode, 18 September 1953, p. 2: report that the Barisan Tani Indonesia (BTI) congress in Jakarta voted 122 in favour of merging with the Rukun Tani Indonesia, with some BTI executive members suspended. The damaged OCR ends by saying Gerwis expressed views on the merger; the content of those views is unreadable.
PSI objects to composition of Jakarta election committees
De Nieuwsgier, 18 Dec 1953: three Jakarta branches of the PSI protest to Mayor Sudiro that election committees for the Greater Jakarta regencies seat only certain parties and their 'side organisations', naming Gerwis, Wanita Demokrat, Petani, Sobri, Sobsi and PPR as associations with seats. Shows the political contest
PSI dissatisfied: election committee not representative
Java-Bode, 18 December 1953, p. 2: the PSI's Jakarta Raya branches complain to Mayor Sudiro that the election committees for the 1955 elections are unrepresentative. The PSI coordinator names Gerwis, Wanita Demokrat, Petani, Sobri, Sobsi and PPR among the associations holding seats, calling them auxiliaries of parties.
PSI dissatisfied: election committee not representative
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 23 Dec 1953, p. 2: PSI branches complain to Jakarta mayor Sudiro that election committees in Jakarta Raya are unrepresentative, dominated by party affiliates; the PSI coordinator names Gerwis, Wanita Demokrat, Sobsi, PPR and others among bodies holding seats.
Mayor explains composition of regency election committees in Jakarta
De Nieuwsgier, 13 Feb 1954: Jakarta Mayor Sudiro explains the composition of the three regency election committees, giving one seat each to Masjumi, PNI, Gerwis, NU, PKI, PIR, Perwari and others. Gerwis's seat falls from two to one, with a Gerwis woman seated to represent 'socialism'; the Wanita Demokrat seat passes to
Dissolution of Jakarta city council requested by nine parties and ten organisations
Aneta item in De Vrije Pers (13 Feb 1954): nine parties and ten organisations, including PKI, PNI, NU, SOBSI, BTI, Wanita Demokrat, Perwari and Gerwis, met under PNI's R. Kartasasmita and urged the government to dissolve the Greater Jakarta municipal council and form a representative one.
Action against the Swapradja: self-government in Solo does not fit present system
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1954-03-12, p. 2): the anti-Swapradja Surakarta committee, whose conference included Gerwis among PNI, PKI, Partai Buruh, SOBSI and youth groups, resolves to reject any return of self-government and to hold regency rallies by 15 April. The government says swapradja must be gradually adapted an