USIA Research and Reference Service report R-158-65 (November 1965), a chronology of the anti-Communist campaign in Indonesia, 1-20 October 1965, built on Indonesian and foreign radio and press. Gerwani entries: Suharto's 4 Oct TV statement linking the generals' murders to Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwani training grounds; NU
Trouw (3 Nov 1965), wire report: Sukarno tells ministers his life is in danger; demonstrations in Medan demand Subandrio's removal; a Muslim leader urges dissolving the PKI. Reports that Gerwani was expelled from the women's congress Kowani, chaired by Mrs Subandrio. Early evidence of Gerwani's isolation weeks after 30
Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia (3 Nov 1965): Sukarno tells cabinet his life is in danger; 100,000 demonstrate at the Chinese consulate in Medan demanding Subandrio's dismissal; army purge in Central Java hampered by unreliable troops; Gerwani expelled from the women's congress Kowani, chaired by Mrs Subandrio; soldiers kill
Straits Budget, 3 Nov 1965 (lead only). Reports a state of war declared in central Java, with the army saying Communists massacred civilians and Communists and Muslims fighting, citing Radio Jakarta. Typical army-sourced framing of the killings; matched on Gerwani.
Straits Times, 3 Nov 1965 (lead only). The Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani), headed by Foreign Minister Subandrio's wife Hurustiati Subandrio, expelled the PKI women's auxiliary (Gerwani), per Antara; a consultative board statement addressed to President Sukarno. Shows Gerwani's isolation after the coup.
Neue Berner Zeitung, 3 Nov 1965 (UPI/AFP): anti-communist demonstration in Sumatra; Sukarno tells ministers to act 'bravely'; 100,000 demonstrators at the Chinese embassy in Medan; gold and silver mines nationalised; 57 PKI parliamentarians removed. Key for Gerwani research: the Indonesian women's congress (Kowani, OCR
The Straits Budget (Singapore), 3 November 1965, p. 15, UPI/Antara: the army declares a state of war in Central Java and gives figures for civilians it says communists massacred (e.g. 62 bodies in three mass graves at Banyuwangi, 104 killed), while observers note the incidents all occurred after the coup. Nothing on Ge
Izvestiia, 4 Nov 1965, p. 2, international commentary: Antara reports the Congress of Indonesian Women (Kowani) expelled the CPI's women's organisation Gerwani; also Supreme Court dismissals, 57 PKI deputies suspended (Lukman, Njoto), about 3,000 arrested near Yogyakarta, and books of 'implicated' authors removed from
CIA Foreign Documents Division weekly digest (Summary No. 6897, 4 Nov 1965) of press on insurgency in South and East Asia. Its Indonesia section reproduces Army-controlled press (Angkatan Bersendjata, Duta Masjarakat) on the 30 September Movement, including claims that Gerwani volunteers trained at Lubang Buaja and moc
Neue Berner Zeitung, 5 Nov 1965, DPA report 'How the Communist Party of Indonesia wanted to seize power: mass murders were planned'. Citing army-held 'captured plans', it claims the PKI intended to kill 10,000+ officers and officials, and to arm one million peasants and workers as a militia built from Pemuda Rakyat, BT
Neue Zürcher Nachrichten, 5 Nov 1965, 'Was Sukarno himself involved in the coup?' (dpa). Same DPA account: army-held plans allegedly show the PKI intended to murder 10,000+ officers and arm one million peasants and workers as a people's militia from Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani cadres; the coup failed in 18 ho
Walliser Bote (5 Nov 1965) running a DPA report on the coup, repeating army-sourced claims of a PKI plan to murder 10,000+ officials and build a people's militia from Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani cadres on the Peking model. Also puzzles over Sukarno's presence at Halim.
Leeuwarder Courant, 6 November 1965, p. 3: relays an armed-forces bulletin story by 'Djamilah', a 15-year-old Pemuda Rakjat member, who says she was ordered to Halim for training and that about 100 Gerwani women were given knives and razor blades and mutilated and stabbed a blindfolded man at dawn on 1 October. The pap
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 6 November 1965, p. 3: UPI report (headline 'PKI women's section the culprit') relaying the armed-forces bulletin story of 'Djamilah', a pregnant 15-year-old Pemuda Rakjat member, who describes training at Halim and about 100 Gerwani women handed knives and razors who mutilated and stabbed a
The Economist, 6 Nov 1965, p.594, 'Rings on a tree trunk', from a special correspondent in Jakarta: the army-inspired anti-communist campaign has gained its own momentum, with raids on PKI offices, arrests, 26 Antara correspondents detained, Aidit in hiding, Sukarno declaring Central Java in a 'state of war'. Wall graf
Berner Tagwacht (Bern), 6 Nov 1965, DPA-based report on the Indonesian coup. Citing army-compiled 'captured plans', it claims the PKI planned to murder 10,000+ officers in five days and arm one million peasants and workers via Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani cadres as a militia on the Peking model. It calls Sukar
Geschäftsblatt für den obern Teil des Kantons Bern, 6 Nov 1965: the same DPA report on the Indonesian coup as in Berner Tagwacht, with other subheadings. It alleges PKI plans (from captured documents) to murder 10,000+ officers and to arm one million peasants and workers as a militia using Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and
South China Sunday Post-Herald, 7 Nov 1965, p.30 (Reuter, Djakarta, 6 Nov): the Armed Forces bulletin says nine 'suicide squad' members of Gerwani, the Communist Women's Organisation, were killed by troops after standing in the path of army tanks in Solo, jeering and turning their backs when asked to leave. The item al
Renmin Ribao (7 Nov 1965, p. 5) reprints Indonesian army statements from radio and Antara: Nasution's 25 October speech on 'slander' and purges, Suharto's 30 October Bandung speech calling the PKI the 'protagonist' and Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani members 'supporting roles' of the movement, an army information chief's int
Berita Harian, 7 Nov 1965 (UPI, lead only). Repeats the army newspaper Angkatan Bersenjata: a pregnant teenage woman 'confessed' she took part in hacking and mutilating a bound, blindfolded army general during the coup attempt. An early instance of the Lubang Buaya sexual-slander narrative in the regional press.
Straits Times, 7 Nov 1965 (world round-up, lead only). An army bulletin claimed a 'suicide squad' of Communist women, nine 'suicide members' of Gerwani, were killed trying to block army tanks in a Central Java town. Army-sourced propaganda framing of Gerwani women.
Page of Hungarian county daily Nograd, 7 Nov 1965, with an MTI Djakarta dispatch: the army press office says paratroopers 'were forced to take the lives' of Gerwani women who blocked a military column in Solo (Surakarta), Central Java; the communique does not state numbers. Also Pravda's Jakarta report on the banning o
Somogyi Neplap (Hungary), 7 Nov 1965, p. 2: MTI/AFP dispatch from Bogor on Sukarno's cabinet meeting, where he condemned anti-communist revenge and upheld NASAKOM. States an army press communiqué that soldiers fired on marching Gerwani women in Solo, Central Java, killing nine. Also notes de facto bans on the PKI and t
Berita Minggu/Berita Harian, 7 November 1965, p. 10, UPI: the 'confession' of Jamilah, 15 and pregnant, a Pemuda Rakyat member, reported from Angkatan Bersenjata. She says about 100 Gerwani women among 500 at Halim were given knives, struck first, and hacked a blindfolded general's genitals. A core Lubang Buaya slander
ANP radio bulletin, 8 Nov 1965 (UPI): almost 10,000 Indonesian women demonstrated in Jakarta against communism, backing Sukarno and the army, and in a resolution urged dissolution of Gerwani. Illustrates the organised women's campaign against Gerwani after the coup.
Second ANP bulletin of 8 Nov 1965 (Reuters/UPI): soldiers seal off Jakarta's Chinese quarter and search houses; separately about 10,000 women march anti-communist, pledge support to Sukarno and the army, and demand Gerwani's dissolution.
Third ANP bulletin of 8 Nov 1965: troops seal Jakarta's Chinese quarter; about 10,000 women march in support of Sukarno and the army against the PKI. Their resolution demands the dissolution of Gerwani and government takeover of communist-run schools, linking the attack on Gerwani to its educational work.
De Waarheid, 8 Nov 1965, p. 3: report that the army continues violent actions against progressives; per an army communique, paratroopers near Solo shot nine women who stood before tanks and refused to move, said to be Gerwani members. Also notes army encouragement of Muslims to destroy communists' buildings in Tasikmal
The Hindustan Times, 8 Nov 1965: the Bali war administrator has suspended the PKI and affiliates, including Gerwani (Women's Movement), Pemuda Rakjat, students' association, peasants' union and SOBSI, with daily reporting to the military, removal of signboards in five days and a curfew from 3 Nov. It notes Sukarno was
The Times of India, 8 Nov 1965, p.1 (Jakarta, 7 Nov): the PKI and affiliated mass organisations in Bali, including Gerwani (Women's Movement), Pemuda Rakjat, Lekra, BTI, student, teachers' (PGRI) and SOBSI unions, have been suspended; leaders must report daily and a curfew applies. Sukarno says he is considering bannin