Java-Bode, 5 April 1954, p. 2: WIDF vice-president Monica Felton lectured in Jakarta on the Federation's work and its relevance to Indonesia, after attending the second Gerwani congress as a guest. Rie Lips Odinot (Dutch Women's Movement) and the Australian Democratic Women's organisation also spoke on their groups' wo
Foolish business in Jakarta (Gerwani congress 1954)
Gazet van Limburg editorial item (6 Apr 1954, p.1) disapproving that communist MP Rie Lips-Odinot, vice-chair of the Dutch communist women's movement, attends the Jakarta congress of 'Gewani' (Gerwani) and speaks for the 'peace-loving part' of the Dutch people supporting Indonesia's claim to New Guinea. It also objects
Rie Lips in Indonesia: arrival for the second Gerwis congress
De Waarheid, 14 Apr 1954, p. 5: report on NVB chair Rie Lips and British writer Monica Felton arriving in Jakarta for the second Gerwis congress, warmly welcomed. Lips described Dutch women's protests against the colonial wars and support for conscientious objectors. The opening reception was attended by Jakarta mayor
Men and women must build the state together
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 14 Apr 1954, p. 3: President Sukarno receives Gerwani delegates after their five-day congress in Jakarta, saying women's problems are solved by a just state built by men and women together. Dutch MP Rie Lips-Odinot raises West Irian; WIDF vice-president Monica Felton lectures; Australia
A great and strong people fights for a better life: Rie Lips on Java
De Waarheid, 12 May 1954, p. 5: opening of an interview with Rie Lips, vice-chair of the NVB, back from six weeks on Java after the Gerwis/Gerwani congress. She rejects stereotypes of Indonesians as lazy, dirty or stupid, citing women who work in factories or walk hours to attend meetings of the women's movement, 'the
On the plantations: Rie Lips tells about Indonesia
De Waarheid, 12 May 1954, p. 5: Rie Lips's account of her Java trip: plantation workers' wages (about 3 rupiah per day), child labour on tea and rubber estates, and volunteer village schools. Quotes the Gerwani congress appeal that those who can read should teach others; Soviet delegate Alexandra Kolopowa speaks; photo
Meeting with Indonesian women: delegation returns from the Soviet Union
De Waarheid, 8 Sep 1954, p. 5: report on an Indonesian women's delegation passing through Amsterdam after five weeks in the USSR (three in Moscow). Members came from different organisations: Masjumi Islamic women (Samsudin), PM Ali Sastroamidjojo's sister, Partai Buruh, a ministry official, students, Wanita Taman Siswa
Successful festive evening of the Dutch Women's Movement (ten years of WIDF)
De Waarheid, 12 Dec 1955, p. 3: report on the NVB's festive evening in Amsterdam for the WIDF's tenth anniversary, with a speech by Betty Zeehandelaar on equal pay and women's rights, a Belgian greeting, and a Scapino ballet programme. At the close, letters were sent to the WIDF and to Gerwani asserting Indonesia's rig
Lilly Wachter portrait: West German delegate at the Dutch Women's Movement congress
De Waarheid, 19 Mar 1956, p. 3: profile of Lilly Wachter (West Germany), attending the NVB congress for the WIDF. Recalls the 1951 WIDF commission to Korea, in which Trees Sunito-Heyligers represented the NVB, and how Wachter was jailed 25 days and fined 12,000 marks after signing its report blaming US forces. Sunito a
Documents of the 4th WIDF Congress, Vienna, 1-5 June 1958
Document pack of the WIDF Fourth Congress, Vienna, 1-5 June 1958: Eugenie Cotton's report on women's role, the Manifesto, resolutions on peace, women's rights and children, appeals to the UN, credentials report and constitution. Indonesia appears in passing: Cotton credits 'the Indonesian Women's Movement' with improvi
Millions of Women Abroad behind the Indonesian People's Struggle for Independence
Api Kartini (1959) article on how the WIDF (GWDS) and millions of women abroad supported Indonesia's independence struggle, noting Gerwani as an Indonesian member. Recounts WIDF's 1947 message to the UN against the Dutch aggression, Dutch women's protests (Schoonhoven, NVB), 1949 actions and later solidarity on Irian B
Women's Solidarity from Many Countries (against the Karel Doorman)
Api Kartini (1960) compilation of foreign women's solidarity statements against the Dutch dispatch of the carrier Karel Doorman and troops to Irian Barat. Includes Dutch women's movement (NVB) protests to parliament and a Rotterdam petition, a WIDF statement backing Indonesia, and a message from Australian miners' wive
Indonesian mothers: 'Do not send your sons to West Irian'
De Waarheid, 8 Jun 1960, p. 3: report that the NVB received a telegram from Gerwani, 'For peace and humanity, do not send your sons to West Irian', and replied that it will try to launch a big protest campaign. Quotes the NVB's letter to the Dutch cabinet opposing troop and arms shipments to New Guinea and recalling th
A letter from Indonesia to the Dutch Women's Movement (Gerwani reply)
De Waarheid, 29 Aug 1960, p. 2: publication of Gerwani's reply letter to the NVB, thanking Dutch women on behalf of its 710,000 members for their efforts to prevent sons being sent to West Irian, promising to publish the NVB letter in Indonesia and to keep working for peace. Prefaced by a note recalling Gerwani's teleg
Greeting from Gerwani to the Dutch women's meeting on New Guinea
De Waarheid, 28 Nov 1961, p. 3: report of an NVB (Dutch women's) meeting where the peaceful settlement of New Guinea was top of the programme. A highlight was a greeting from Gerwani, described as a 900,000-member Indonesian women's organisation, saying Indonesian and Dutch women are closely linked in protecting childr
International solidarity: Gerwani's greeting quoted to the Dutch women's movement
De Waarheid, 28 Nov 1961, p. 3: one-paragraph quote from Gerwani's greeting to the Dutch women's movement (NVB): Indonesian mothers organised in Gerwani will never forget the NVB's consistent help and solidarity in the struggle to liberate West Irian. Companion to the 'Begroeting Gerwani' item.
NVB telegram to Gerwani on its Fourth Congress, December 1961
De Waarheid, 14 Dec 1961, p. 2: notice that Gerwani, affiliated with WIDF, holds its fourth congress in Jakarta on 14-17 December 1961, and the NVB's greeting telegram, signed by chair Heiltje de Vos and secretary Annie Averink, expressing solidarity in the struggle against colonialism, for transfer of West Irian to In
Indonesian women thank Dutch ADM protest to government
De Waarheid, 10 Mar 1962, p. 3: report that Gerwani sent a thank-you telegram to the NVB for its action toward a peaceful settlement of West Irian, hoping Dutch troop shipments to New Guinea stop. Describes NVB letters to other Dutch women's groups, signature collection (127 signatures in Zaandam), a protest by 104 ADM
Hundreds of women demonstrated for disarmament; Gerwani telegram quoted (Amsterdam IWD 1962)
De Waarheid, 26 Mar 1962, p. 3: report on an International Women's Day demonstration in Amsterdam for disarmament and peace with Indonesia, with a speech by Annie Averink (NVB). A telegram from Gerwani thanks Dutch women for solidarity and hopes troop shipments to West Irian will stop; Averink proudly noted the NVB rec
Letter from Jakarta: Gerwani protests Tom Clardij's imprisonment and thanks NVB
De Waarheid, 13 Feb 1963, p. 2: report that the NVB received a letter from Gerwani, sent after the Central Council's plenary meeting in Jakarta on 10 January 1963, thanking it for solidarity on the transfer of West Irian. The council also protested to the Dutch government against the imprisonment of objector Tom Clardi
Restore anti-fascist unity to prevent Budel: enthusiastic International Women's Day
De Waarheid, 18 Mar 1963, p. 3: report on the NVB Amsterdam International Women's Day meeting where Annie Averink (van Ommeren-Averink) called for anti-fascist unity against the Budel treaty allowing German troops in the Netherlands and collected funds for an NVB delegation to the WIDF congress in Moscow in June. A tel
Indonesia: protest against persecution of the women's movement Gerwani
De Waarheid, 13 May 1966, p. 1: report that the NVB wrote to President Sukarno in shock and indignation at the terror against Gerwani and other democratic organisations, recalling the role they played in the Indonesian revolution and nation-building, and demanding the release of all political prisoners and lifting of t
Protest against persecution of Gerwani (full front page, 13 May 1966)
Full De Waarheid front page, 13 May 1966, mostly Dutch domestic and international news (cabinet Cals wage policy, Soviet trade delegation, US-China air incident). Only one box is relevant: the NVB's letter to Sukarno protesting terror against Gerwani and other democratic organisations and demanding release of political
Lively discussion: twenty years of the Dutch Women's Movement
De Waarheid, 7 Nov 1966, p. 3: report on the NVB's 20th-anniversary congress and gathering in Amsterdam. Chair Heiltje de Vos recalls NVB solidarity with Indonesia and proudly notes that first NVB chair Trees Sunito-Heyligers recently defended PKI leader Njono before the generals' military tribunal in Jakarta. Greeting
Protest telegram from NVB executive over arrest of Trees Sunito-Heyligers
De Waarheid, 5 Jan 1968, p. 1: telegram from the NVB executive to the Indonesian ambassador in The Hague protesting the arrest of lawyer Trees Sunito-Heyligers, recalling her anti-fascist work, her defence of Dutch soldiers who refused colonial war and her defence of union leader Njono, and demanding release of her and
Dutch Women's Movement protests Suharto's visit: letter to ministers
De Waarheid, 5 Aug 1970, p. 1: full text of the NVB executive's letter to Dutch ministers protesting President Suharto's planned state visit. It accuses his regime of causing hundreds of thousands of deaths, rejecting clemency, and holding at least 125,000 prisoners and exiles, among them many members of the 'million-m
Sandwich-board action in The Hague against Suharto visit: 'Freedom for the women of Gerwani'
De Waarheid, 18 Aug 1970, p. 1: report that a dozen women demonstrated with sandwich boards in The Hague against Suharto's planned visit, carrying signs 'Freedom for the women of Gerwani' and 'Suharto unwanted', distributing the NVB letter and later protesting at the Indonesian embassy.
Rotterdam women demonstrated against Suharto's visit
De Waarheid, 19 Aug 1970, p. 1: report that Rotterdam women demonstrated on the Lijnbaan and at the Beurs against General Suharto's state visit, with signs demanding release of political prisoners in Indonesia and especially members of Gerwani, handing out the NVB letter. Port workers also telegraphed Minister Luns.
The Hague women demonstrated against Suharto's visit
De Waarheid, 4 Sep 1970, p. 1: report that NVB members in The Hague carried sandwich boards for several days against Suharto's visit ('The women of Gerwani must be free', 'Not a cent for the generals'), handing out thousands of pamphlets until police took the women in at 3:30 pm on 3 September, amid public applause.
Women's movement needed: Truus Divendal on Gerwani and Indonesia
De Waarheid, 7 Sep 1971, p. 4: report on the NVB's speech by Truus Divendal arguing a women's movement is still needed. She reports fundraising for the South Vietnamese NLF and addresses Indonesia: Gerwani, which earlier played a large role in eliminating illiteracy, now has thousands of members imprisoned; the NVB dem