Jakarta sets up National Council: Sukarno names members (New York Times, 16 June 1957)
New York Times, 16 June 1957, p.37, Special to the Times from Jakarta: Sukarno names the 45 members of the new National Council (Dewan Nasional), chaired by himself, with Roeslan Abdulgani as deputy chairman and secretary-general. About a quarter are described as Communists or sympathisers, including PKI member Sujono
Composition of the National Council announced
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 22 Jun 1957, p. 1: government announces the 45-member National Council under Sukarno, with Roeslan Abdulgani as vice-chair. S.K. Trimurti and Rasuna Said are named as the two representatives of women's organisations; Henk Ngantung (artists) and Ahem Erningpradja (labour) also appear.
Installation and swearing-in of National Council does not undermine authority of cabinet and parliament
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1957-07-13, p. 1): Sukarno installs the 45-member National Council (Dewan Nasional) at the Istana Negara, swearing in 32 members, and stresses it does not undermine cabinet or parliament but assists, lends authority and bridges society and government. The full list names S.K. Trimurti and Rasu
National council installed by President Sukarno
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (13 Jul 1957, p.1): Sukarno installs the National Council (42 members sworn in), saying it will not displace cabinet or parliament. Named members include Munir, Sardjono, Henk Ngantung, S.K. Trimurti and Rasuna Said (women's movements) and Katjasungkana. Bahder Djohan and Herawati Diah decli
Yugoslav-Indonesian talks in the palace
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 28 Aug 1957, p. 1: Yugoslav vice-president Vukmanovic-Tempo holds talks with Sukarno in Jakarta and visits the National Council, where S.K. Trimurti is among the members who receive him; he sees the council as a step toward democracy.
Satisfied with decisions of national conference: general debates on normalisation of the country's situation
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1957-09-27, p. 2): parliamentary general debates on the national conference results and Soekarno-Hatta cooperation. PKI women MPs speak: Nungtjik A.R. calls the results a merit of the cabinet and asks for a gotong-royong cabinet; Mrs. Suharti Suwarto criticises regional councils and military a
Indonesian parliament wants more concrete Sukarno-Hatta cooperation
Ons Noorden (27 Sep 1957) on the parliamentary debate after the national consultation conference. PKI MP Suharti Suwarto sharply criticised the revolutionary councils in Sumatra and Celebes for arresting local communist leaders, warning the conference decisions cannot work until they are freed. Other speakers urge Suka
General debates on normalisation of the country's situation
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1957-09-28, p. 2): continuation of the parliamentary debate on normalisation after the national conference, with seven speakers. Mrs. Umi Sardjono (Pembangunan) calls the result a positive principle showing the government's authority, but doubts it can be realised while arbitrary arrests and b
Dr Hatta leads the development conference (Munas Pembangunan, 1957)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (27 Nov 1957, p.1): the National Development Conference chaired by Hatta, attended by Sukarno and Djuanda. Twelve morning speakers; Trimurti of the National Council proposes considering the pre-advice of Sukarno, Hatta and Djuanda after the general debate; others propose committees, national
Sukarno, the arch-intriguer: profile including the Hartini marriage
Long profile of Sukarno by C.H. Schaap in De Tijd (6 Feb 1958) tracing his career and manoeuvres. It notes that in Oct 1954 his marriage to Hartini caused general indignation among Indonesian women, who remembered his book "Sarinah", and that Fatmawati left him. Gerwani is not named.
Sukarno, the arch-intriguer
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 6 February 1958, p. 5: long profile of Sukarno by former correspondent C.H. Schaap, calling him an 'arch-intriguer' bent on absolute power, tracing his career to the 1957 cabinet. It mentions that his October 1954 second marriage to Hartini caused general indignation among Indonesian women,
Sukarno, the master intriguer
Profile of President Sukarno in the Curaçao weekly Amigoe di Curaçao (18 Feb 1958, p. 4), portraying him as a charming but ruthless 'master intriguer' and authoritarian. It narrates his career and notes women's indignation at his 1954 marriage to Hartini despite his book Sarinah. Gerwani is not mentioned.
Sukarno, the master intriguer [duplicate]
Second copy (different Delpher ID) of the Amigoe di Curaçao profile of Sukarno, 18 Feb 1958: an unflattering account of him as authoritarian master intriguer, from 1920s nationalism to the 1957 cabinet. Mentions the general women's indignation at his marriage to Hartini despite writing Sarinah. Gerwani is not named.
Tages-Anzeiger, 11 July 1959: Indonesia on the road to dictatorship
Tages-Anzeiger analysis (11 July 1959, signed Th. v. R.) of Sukarno's return to the 1945 constitution and the army's rising power under Nasution. Lists PKI-linked mass organisations, giving Gerwani 75,000 members alongside SOBSI, Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, and notes PKI's 1957 vote.
'Everything must go': great sale in Indonesia
Het Vaderland front-page report (22 Jan 1960) on Indonesia's economic collapse: rupiah worth a tenth of its 1958 black-market value, gold price soaring, kerosene shortages keeping Jakarta children from school, Chinese converting rupiah to goods, falling rubber output. Newspapers across the spectrum criticise Sukarno's
Sukarno uses an old recipe
Het Vaderland front-page report (4 Jun 1960): Sukarno returns from a world tour to an airport welcome whose approved slogans include 'Indonesian women condemn the Dutch provocation', which observers see as a diversion from the growing Democratic League opposing Guided Democracy. Also covers an Indonesian protest note a
Sukarno now supreme commander: New Guinea plans; speech at Gerwani congress
De Tijd/De Maasbode Reuter item (15 Dec 1961): Sukarno chaired the new 15-member national defence council as supreme commander to plan the "return" of West New Guinea. It notes that at the opening of the Gerwani congress he announced again he would "use armed force to liberate West Irian".
No negotiations: Sukarno at the Fourth Gerwani Congress
De Volkskrant report (15 Dec 1961) on Sukarno's speech to what it calls the fourth congress of Gerwani, "the communist-controlled" women's movement, convened on women's role in the West Irian struggle. He rejected talks with the Netherlands, said power is created by politics, and promised armed force if the UN accepted
Sukarno now supreme commander: New Guinea plans being worked out
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 15 December 1961: Reuters report that Sukarno chaired the first meeting of a 15-member national defence council as supreme commander for the 'return' of Western New Guinea. At the opening of the Gerwani congress he again said he would use armed force to liberate West Irian.
Sukarno on New Guinea 'liberation': the Dutch understand only force
Ons Noorden (15 Dec 1961): Sukarno, speaking at the fourth Gerwani congress in Jakarta, says the Dutch understand only force, refuses to invite talks on West Irian, announces his command to start the struggle on 19 December (Trikora) and threatens armed force if the UN approves occupation. The paper calls Gerwani commu
Sukarno on New Guinea 'liberation': the Dutch understand only force
Overijsselsch Dagblad (15 Dec 1961), duplicate of the Ons Noorden item: Sukarno, at the fourth Gerwani congress in Jakarta, says Dutch imperialists understand only force, rules out talks and announces the 19 December command for the West Irian struggle. Gerwani is described as communist-controlled.
Sukarno in threatening speech: force the only language the Dutch understand
Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia (15 Dec 1961): at the opening of the Gerwani congress in Jakarta, Sukarno says the Dutch understand only force, rejects 'external' self-determination for New Guinea, and urges housewives not to worry over rice and oil shortages. Also the new defence council meets under his leadership. Paper ca
ANP news report, 16 December 1961 (Indonesia: military)
ANP radio bulletin, 16 Dec 1961: a two-line fragment saying a minister spoke at a conference of the Indonesian women's organisation Gerwani about measures against the Dutch, with banners in Yogyakarta demanding Western New Guinea. Evidence of Gerwani's role in the West Irian campaign.
Tomorrow in Yogyakarta: Sukarno's 'last order' on West New Guinea
De Nieuwe Limburger, 18 Dec 1961: Foreign Minister Subandrio, speaking at a Gerwani conference, says Indonesia would have to act militarily if the Dutch grant independence to a 'Papua state'; Sukarno's 'last order' on West New Guinea is due 19 December (the Trikora). Shows Gerwani as a platform for the West Irian confr
Dr Subandrio: 'No other way than force' (at the Gerwani conference)
Het Rotterdamsch Parool item (18 Dec 1961, p.2): at a conference of the 'nationalist' women's organisation Gerwani, Foreign Minister Subandrio says Indonesia would have to take military action if the Netherlands tries to give independence to Western New Guinea, calling it forced military confrontation, and that Sukarno
Communists in Indonesia: isolated position despite five million followers
Algemeen Handelsblad analysis by a contributor (1963-06-01) on the PKI's isolated position despite about five million followers. It credits the PKI with 1 million members plus 1.5 million in 'the communist women's organisation Gerwani', and discusses food prices, the lifting of the state of siege, SOKSI's rise and West
How it turns out - that's what matters!
Algemeen Dagblad feature by H.N. Appel from Jakarta (1964-04-10) on Indonesia's new elite, its revolutionary rhetoric and economic hardship. Briefly describes women as playing a small, decorative role in a 'men's society', noting Sukarno's second wife Hartini at a party. Gerwani is not mentioned.
Berita Harian, 5 Aug 1964: Gerwani wants USIS offices closed
Berita Harian, 5 Aug 1964 (Reuters, lead only). Gerwani, a left-wing Indonesian women's movement, cabled President Sukarno demanding the government close the US Information Service (USIS) offices and send home Peace Corps volunteers, as reported by the PKI paper Harian Rakyat.
Gerwani wants US Information Service offices closed (Berita Harian, 1964)
Berita Harian, 5 August 1964, p. 3, Reuters: Gerwani, described as a left-wing women's movement, cabled Sukarno demanding closure of the US Information Service, return of Peace Corps volunteers training Indonesian athletes, and condemned the Johnson-Tunku Abdul Rahman joint statement, per the PKI paper Harian Rakyat. S
Sukarno rejects demand for ban on Sukarnoism (South China Morning Post, 14 December 1964)
South China Morning Post, 14 Dec 1964, p.28 (Jakarta, 13 Dec; fragmentary OCR): Sukarno rejects a demand to ban 'Sukarnoism', and the item notes that Antara reported hundreds of members of Gerwani, 'the Communist women's organisation', demonstrated outside government offices in Medan the previous Wednesday with signs d