Indonesian women fought ten years for their rights
Libération, Paris (21 Sep 1954, p.6), badly garbled page with a column '...et les femmes!': after Sukarno's second marriage to a divorcee, a feminist organisation says his private life cannot be separated from the presidency, and that Indonesian women fought ten years for their rights so the marriage is a heavy blow. N
Indonesian women and Sukarno's second marriage
Libération, Paris (21 Sep 1954, p.6), snippet extract: four representatives of Indonesia's women's leagues were received by Sukarno to ask why he took a second wife; 'Indonesian women have fought for ten years for their rights, and the President's second marriage has been a heavy blow for us.'
Indonesian women rise up against Sukarno's second marriage
Le Lorrain (30 Sep 1954, p.10), Jakarta dispatch: Sukarno's secret June marriage to Hartini Suwondo has turned political after women's organisation Perwari asked government and parliament to regulate leaders' marriages and draw up a marriage law. It blames Sukarno for not warning Fatmawati. A committee defends his repu
Indonesian women rise up against Sukarno's second marriage (extract)
Le Lorrain (30 Sep 1954, p.10), snippet extract: Indonesian women rise up against Sukarno's second marriage; recalls his secret June marriage to Hartini Suwondo, a 31-year-old divorcee and mother of five.
Parliament on Sukarno's second marriage
Het Parool report (6 Oct 1954, p.108): parliament asks the government to clarify its stand on President Sukarno's second marriage, as the controversy causes the first rift in the year-old PNI-PKI coalition. A woman MP of the socialist fraction submitted the request, and parliament received a petition from women's movem
Sukarno's marriage
Tubantia/Twentsch Dagblad brief (7 Oct 1954): the Indonesian parliament asks the government's view on Sukarno's second marriage and, with communists voting against, agrees to consider a women's movement petition to deprive Muslim men of the right to marry more than one wife. Relevant to the polygamy campaign Gerwani an
Sukarno, polygamy and Indonesian women
Point de vue (14 Oct 1954, p.9), '7 jours du monde' column: a three-sentence note that Sukarno has two wives and many troubles after marrying Mrs Suwondo (Hartini), whose husband divorced over her relations with the president; Indonesian women disapprove and launched a violent press campaign. Gerwani not named. Other c
Sukarno, polygamy and Indonesian women (extract)
Point de vue (14 Oct 1954, p.9), snippet extract: Sukarno, president of the young Indonesian Republic, has two wives and many troubles; the Koran allows polygamy but Indonesian women view it with disfavour; he is the only polygamous Indonesian leader.
Java-Bode 30 Nov 1954, page: Gerwani congress (whole page)
Whole-page OCR of Java-Bode, 30 November 1954, p. 2. The only Gerwani item is the Bandung branch congress: sympathy for Maisuri (forced marriage victim), call to abolish forced marriage, ban modern dances and immoral films, and support for the Ali-Arifin cabinet. Other articles cover West Irian at the UN, the Chinese a
Gerwani congress (newspaper page, early December 1954)
Whole newspaper page, Indische Courant voor Nederland, c. 1-4 Dec 1954 (columns interleaved). Gerwani-relevant item: Bandung branch congress backs Maisuri, opposes forced marriage and 'immoral' films, supports the Ali cabinet. Other articles: PRN women's congress, no-confidence motion, West Irian at the UN, Bogor confe
Signature campaign against atomic war begins in Indonesia
De Waarheid, 9 Mar 1955, p. 2: Jakarta report on the start of a signature campaign against atomic war, signed by ministers, professors and Masjumi's Wiwoho. Gerwani called on all women to join, aiming for 10,000 signatures in 12 weeks. A Peace Committee delegation was received by Sukarno; wives of the Jakarta mayor and
Mme Suharti, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement; Sukarno and polygamy
La Presse (17 May 1955, p.10): feature on a Muslim feminist campaign against polygamy, starting with the Pakistani PM Mohamed Ali's second marriage and spreading to Java. Says Fatmawati Sukarno was recruited and that Hartini was pregnant during the Bandung Conference. A snippet names Mme Suharti, president of the 'very
Mme Suharti, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement; Sukarno and polygamy (extract)
La Presse (17 May 1955, p.10), snippet extract of the polygamy feature: unrest in Indonesia over Sukarno's marriage to Hartini, in which Mme Suharti, president of the 'very communist-leaning' Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani), took advantage; Hartini's pregnancy surfaced as the Bandung Conference drew attention.
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
Preparation of election details
Java-Bode, 8 September 1955, p. 2: news column. The Gerwani branch Djomblang (Jombang) formed a committee to run a child day-care centre during the elections so mothers can vote calmly. Other items concern Surabaya mobilising students as polling-station order helpers and Colonel Simbolon's visit to Sukarno.
News in brief
Dutch newspaper column of brief news (1955-09-22, p. 2); only the final item concerns Indonesia: per the daily Pedoman, women leaders will ask PM Harahap to keep Sukarno's second wife out of the Bogor palace, claiming he broke a promise. Text breaks off. Other items are unrelated. Gerwani not named.
News in brief ('Woman against woman')
'News in brief' column, Provinciale Overijsselsche en Zwolsche Courant (24 Sep 1955). One item, 'Woman against woman', cites Pedoman: leaders of Indonesian women will ask Premier Harahap to keep Sukarno's second wife out of the Bogor palace, saying he broke a promise. Text breaks off. Other items unrelated; no Gerwani
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
Sukarno's 'find'
Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 15 November 1955, p. 1: hostile Dutch editorial on Sukarno's Heroes' Day speech alleging a foreign plot. Among causes of his declining popularity it lists 'the indignation of the organised Indonesian women, who do not appreciate the marriage escapades of their president'. Gerwani is not name
First Lady
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item 'First Lady' (1955-12-31, p. 1): Perwari chair Mrs. Kartowijono says any socially acceptable woman can be First Lady and urges a marriage law quickly. Muslimat (Masyumi) and Gerwani are still deliberating on the question and could not yet comment, in the context of the Sukarno marria
Gerwani and Mrs Fatmawati: statement on a private divorce matter
De Nieuwsgier item (5 Jan 1956) on a Gerwani statement about Fatmawati Sukarno's divorce request: Gerwani calls it a private matter, defends free democratic marriage, regrets that certain parties exploited it to undermine national unity and the president's name, and uses it to demand a democratic marriage law.
Gerwani chair: a political background to Fatmawati's divorce request?
Java-Bode, 5 January 1956, p. 2: Gerwani general chair Umi Sardjono tells the press Gerwani regrets that certain groups have systematically pressed Fatmawati Sukarno to seek divorce, serving colonial aims of splitting national unity and besmirching the president. She calls the divorce a private matter and says Gerwani
Java-Bode 5 Jan 1956, page: Gerwani chair on Fatmawati's divorce request (whole page)
Whole-page OCR of Java-Bode, 5 January 1956, p. 2. Gerwani-relevant is Umi Sardjono's statement on Fatmawati's divorce request, urging a democratic marriage law, plus press reports on Fatmawati, Hartini and women leaders' reactions to a president with two wives. Other articles (Colonel Lubis on security, Ceramese ex-KN
A political background to Fatmawati's divorce request?
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 14 Jan 1956, p. 1: Gerwani chair Umi Sardjono tells the press that groups are pressing Fatmawati Sukarno to seek divorce for political ends, calls it a private matter, upholds marriage without compulsion and demands a democratic marriage law. Also repeats press reports on Fatmawati, Har
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
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
America offers Jakarta economic aid - Dulles in Indonesia
Arnhemsche Courant, 13 Mar 1956 (UP-Reuters): John Foster Dulles visits Sukarno in Jakarta and informally offers economic aid. A young woman of Gerwani among about two dozen protesters shouting 'Abolish SEATO' threw a piece of paper at his car and was detained for questioning.
Economic aid offered to Indonesia (Dulles in Jakarta)
Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant, 13 March 1956: report on US Secretary of State Dulles's visit to Jakarta, where about two dozen demonstrators shouted 'Abolish SEATO' and a young woman of the left-leaning Gerwani threw a paper at his car and was detained for questioning. Dulles also met Sukarno, discussed New Guinea and off
High Commissioner absent at Dulles's arrival
Nieuwsblad van het Zuiden, 13 March 1956: report on Dulles's arrival in Jakarta (no Dutch high commissioner present), his statement, and an airport incident in which a young Gerwani woman threw a paper at his car and was detained. Also Sukarno's accepted invitation to the US and discussion of New Guinea and economic ai