Elections with symbols: preparations for Indonesia's first general election
De Waarheid, 22 Jan 1955, p. 5: feature on preparations for Indonesia's first general elections, with voter registration, party symbols for illiterate voters, the PKI-and-independents list and attacks on it from Masjumi and PSI. It names independent candidates, among them Salawati (Daud), described as a guerrilla leade
CIA intelligence survey of the PKI's history, structure and front organisations, May 1955, before the September 1955 elections. Section III.E (report pp. 49-50) profiles Gerwani: founded 1950 as Gerwis, renamed Gerwani at the March 1954 congress, 25,000+ members, S.K. Trimurti general chairman and Umi Sardjono chairman
The Ali cabinet: PKI mass meeting with Umi Sardjono
De Locomotief, 1 June 1955: report of a PKI mass meeting in Jakarta where Aidit backs the Ali cabinet and urges peaceful election campaigning. Mrs Umi Sardjono, introduced as a non-party Gerwani member and PKI candidate, says she chose the PKI because it is a choice of being for or against the people. Date: the party's
Pravda, 5 Aug 1955: government crisis in Indonesia; telegrams from Gerwani
Pravda, 5 August 1955, No. 217, page 6, supplied as a Claude machine translation of the Indonesia item. A TASS dispatch from Jakarta on the cabinet crisis (Harahap of Masjumi asked to form a government) says Harian Rakjat printed dozens of telegrams from SOBSI, BTI, the women's organisation Gerwani and Pemuda Rakjat in
Pravda, 5 Aug 1955: Gerwani telegram in Indonesian cabinet crisis (excerpt)
Keyword-hit excerpt of Pravda, 5 Aug 1955 (TASS, Jakarta) on the cabinet crisis after Masjumi's Burhanuddin Harahap was asked to form a government. Harian Rakjat published telegrams from SOBSI, BTI, Gerwani, Pemuda Rakjat and others demanding a truly democratic government, opposing a Masjumi cabinet and 'a military dic
Ten years of the Republic (Cor Geugjes)
De Waarheid, 17 Aug 1955, p. 3: Cor Geugjes's article for the Republic's tenth anniversary, covering Dutch colonial violence, the Bandung Conference, the Ali Sastroamidjojo government's fall and replacement by a Masjumi-PSI cabinet under Harahap, and the PKI's election platform. It lists Gerwani only as 'the strong wom
Grand PKI election campaign: Aidit speaks to 700,000 in Yogyakarta
De Waarheid, 21 Sep 1955, p. 5: air-mail report on the PKI's 1955 election campaign: Aidit speaking to 700,000 in Yogyakarta, 550,000 in Semarang, Njoto and Lukman elsewhere. In Jakarta, Umi Sardjono, chair of Gerwani, explained why she stands as a non-party candidate on the PKI list, saying its programme matches the d
Central Java news: Salatiga election campaign schedule
De Locomotief, 23 Sept 1955, Central Java news: Salatiga campaign schedule lists Gerwani among parties with election meetings at the Gris Theatre (23 Sept afternoon), alongside Masjumi, PIR and PNI. The rest covers people's housing built in Salatiga.
Elections in Indonesia on Thursday
Arnhemsche Courant, 27 Sept 1955: preview of Indonesia's first general elections (29 Sept), expecting a communist-Masjumi contest and noting that women have emerged as a political force within existing parties. Gerwani is not named; useful context for the 1955 elections.
Indonesia goes to choose symbols
Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant, 27 September 1955, p. 5: preview of Indonesia's first general election, with about 43 million voters, 63 parties and symbol-based ballots for illiterates (hammer and sickle versus buffalo head). It expects a PKI-Masjumi contest and notes that Indonesian women have emerged as a political forc
Votes in the jungle: elections in Indonesia on Thursday
Nijmeegsch Dagblad (27 Sep 1955) pre-election report on Indonesia's first general elections: 43 million voters, 63 parties, expected Masyumi–PKI contest, PKI hoping for 5 million votes. Notes women emerging as a political force within parties, citing a Masyumi women's rally; Gerwani is not named.
Elections in Indonesia on Thursday: about half of voters expected at the polls
Reuter pre-election report (27 Sep 1955) on Indonesia's first general elections: 43 million voters, 63 parties, a Masyumi–PKI contest, PKI hoping for 5 million votes. Mentions women's political activity within parties via a Masyumi women's rally; Gerwani not named.
Elections in Indonesia on Thursday: about half of voters expected at the polls
Reuter pre-election report (27 Sep 1955) on Indonesia's first general elections: 43 million voters, 63 parties, a Masyumi–PKI contest, PKI hoping for 5 million votes. Mentions women's political activity within parties via a Masyumi women's rally; Gerwani not named. Same text as the Ons Noorden item, here in Overijssels
General elections begin Thursday in Indonesia
Reuter pre-election report (27 Sep 1955) on Indonesia's first general elections: 43 million voters, 63 parties, a Masyumi–PKI contest, PKI hoping for 5 million votes. Women emerge as a political force within parties; Gerwani is not named.
After fierce campaign 43 million Indonesians vote Thursday
Reuter pre-election report (27 Sep 1955) on Indonesia's first general elections: 43 million voters, 63 parties, a Masyumi–PKI contest, PKI hoping for 5 million votes. Women emerge as a political force within parties; Gerwani is not named. Version in Zutphens Dagblad also quotes a Masyumi women's rally of about 1,000 wh
Elections tomorrow in Indonesia
Nieuwsblad voor de Hoeksche Waard en IJselmonde, 28 September 1955, p. 1: preview of Indonesia's first general election with 43 million voters and 63 parties, expecting a PKI-Masjumi contest. It notes women as a political force within existing parties, citing a Masjumi women's meeting of about 1,000. Gerwani is not nam
Events in Indonesia (conclusion): Harahap government and mass organisations
De Waarheid, 8 Oct 1955, p. 3: final part of Cor Geugjes's series on events in Indonesia, arguing the Harahap government (which replaced Ali Sastroamidjojo) is resisted: elections could not be postponed, New Guinea was raised at the UN, and preliminary results defeat Masjumi and PSI. Cites PKI (500,000), SOBSI (3 milli
P.N.I. (analysis of the 1955 election result)
Het Parool column 'P.N.I.' (11 Nov 1955) analysing the 1955 Indonesian election result: the PNI did well despite corruption; Sukarno's second marriage (Hartini) had been thought to hurt him as it moved many prominent Indonesian women to militant counter-action, but the fight against polygamy was a concern of a handful
Parliament session: bills on regional affairs
Java-Bode, 10 February 1956, p. 2: parliamentary debate on the bill creating autonomous regions in Central Sumatra. PKI member Mrs Suwarti argued it was premature, as the current parliament no longer has popular support; Zainal Abidin Ahmad, Djuir Muhammad and Abdulhajat proposed amendments or objected. No Gerwani cont
Bills on regional affairs
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 18 Feb 1956, p. 2: parliamentary debate on bills creating autonomous regions in Central Sumatra and on Emergency Law No. 7. Mrs Suwarti (PKI) argues the present parliament, no longer supported by the people, should be replaced before such a law is discussed. Her Gerwani affiliation is n
Gerwani statement on abrogating the KMB; women at the SOBSI national council (Bintang Timur, 23 February 1956)
Front page (with pp. 2-4) of Bintang Timur, Jakarta, 23 Feb 1956. The DPP Gerwani issues a statement, after a meeting with Central Java, West Java and Jakarta delegates, demanding full unilateral abrogation of the KMB agreements. Women delegates Setiati Surasto (Sarbupri), Sri Ambar, Tuti, Rantiyem and Emmy Purwati att
Gerwani endorses prosecutor's demand against Jungschlager (Bintang Timur, 28 February 1956)
Front page (with pp. 2-4) of Bintang Timur, Jakarta, 28 Feb 1956, dominated by the KMB abrogation debate and the Masyumi/PNI-NU stand-off. A short item reports Gerwani welcoming and endorsing the prosecutor's demand against the Dutch defendant Jungschlager, calling it commensurate with his crimes. Other items cover the
Umi Sardjono at the WIDF 10th anniversary: women's rights in the Konstituante (Bintang Timur, 9 March 1956)
Front page (with pp. 2-4) of Bintang Timur, Jakarta, 9 Mar 1956. One column reports the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Women's International Democratic Federation (GWDS/WIDF) at the SBKA hall, Manggarai: Gerwani chair Umi Sardjono urges women's organisations to get women's rights written into the Konstituante, cit
Communist crowd welcomes the president at Kemayoran airport
De Nieuwsgier report (19 Mar 1956) on Sukarno's return to Kemajoran airport, where PKI supporters, communist veterans and the "communist women's organisation Gerwani" demanded PKI inclusion in Ali Sastroamidjojo's cabinet. Sukarno urged calm; Gerwani appears only among the crowd with banners.
Mrs Salawati Daud elected to the new DPR; inauguration of parliament and Ali cabinet (Bintang Timur, 26 March 1956)
Front page (with pp. 2-4) of Bintang Timur, Jakarta, 26 Mar 1956, on the swearing-in of 217 members of the new DPR and Ali Sastroamidjojo's cabinet. Captioned photos show Sukarno with PKI member Mudigdo and Masyumi's Mangunpuspito, and welcoming Salawati Daud, a non-party PKI candidate from Makassar. Women MPs (13 in a
Umi Sardjono joins the Development faction in the new DPR (Bintang Timur, 4 April 1956)
Front page (with pp. 2-4) of Bintang Timur, Jakarta, 4 Apr 1956. A short item on the new DPR's factions lists Umi Sardjono (Gerwani chair) among the members of the 'Pembangunan' (Development) faction, with Suprapto, Abulhayat, Runturambi, Supardi and Sujono. Headline news: government to seek full KMB abrogation and tak
Salawati Daud speaks in the DPR on DI/TII terror and security (Bintang Timur, 13 April 1956)
Front page (with pp. 2-4) of Bintang Timur, Jakarta, 13 Apr 1956, reporting the DPR's first-round debate on the Ali cabinet programme. Ch. Salawati Daud (PKI, non-party) speaks on security: she says Masyumi and DI/TII share an ideology differing only in method, urges amnesty and caution toward rebels, calls for housing
Ali Akbar's remarks in parliament
Java-Bode, 16 April 1956, p. 2: Masjumi's Dr Ali Akbar, in the cabinet debate, says PKI leader Lukman's call for Masjumi cooperation lost credibility after attacks by 'Mrs Salawati of the PKI faction'. He asks Sakirman about the true intent and proposes a council for moral protection in medicine.
Law concerning the RTC agreements
Java-Bode, 16 April 1956, p. 2: parliamentary debate on the government programme and abolition of the RTC agreements, with Sakirman (PKI), Prawoto and others. Umi Sardjono of the Pembangunan faction spoke on the lot of Indonesian women, still unprotected by marriage legislation.
Dr Ali Akbar in parliament responds to PKI cooperation call
De Nieuwsgier parliamentary note (17 Apr 1956): Masjumi's Ali Akbar said PKI member Loekman's call for cooperation interested his faction, but the optimism evaporated because of attacks by Mrs. Salawati of the PKI faction. Salawati (Daud) appears only as the cause of friction.