Dictatorial powers for President Sukarno (Madiun affair)
Indische Courant voor Nederland front page (29 Sep 1948) on the Madiun affair: the KNIP working committee grants Sukarno full emergency powers for three months (25-1); Hatta blames 'PKI-Musso'; arrests of FDR communist leaders in Magelang, curfews in Kediri; Solo youth back the government. Soewarti of the labour party
New demonstrations in West Java? Delegation presents open letter to Sukarno
Aneta report in De Vrije Pers (16 Jul 1953) that a delegation of parties and groups (PPDI, Partai Buruh, PNI, PKI, Gerwis, Permai) which demonstrated in Bandung met Sukarno to present an open letter urging a decree declaring Darul Islam bands terrorists to be destroyed. The Badan Kontak Nasional demanded a progressive
Salatiga: national action committee formed
De Locomotief, 29 July 1953: Salatiga branches of SOBSI, BTI, PPDI, Pemuda Rakjat and Gerwis jointly convene a meeting of 35 organisations and parties, which forms a national action committee and decides to send an open letter to Sukarno urging implementation of parliament's decisions and action against Darul Islam and
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
Report by Ratu Aminah Hidajat, Vice-President of the Constituent Assembly, to the WIDF Fourth Congress/Conference on the Defence of Life (Vienna, June 1958). Describes Indonesia's committees against A- and H-bomb tests (chaired by Sukarno; Movement of Mothers, Peace Committee), an Anti-Bomb Week and a public appeal; sa
Documents of the Sixth National Congress of the PKI, Jakarta, 1-14 September 1959, Vol. I
Bintang Merah special issue, vol. 1: documents of the VI National Congress of the PKI, Jakarta 7-14 September 1959 (Yayasan Pembaruan, 1960). Contains Aidit's opening speech, the Central Committee's General Report, and Programme and Constitution changes. Gerwani is not named; on women it records growing women's members
Suara Tani, February 1960: Welcoming the WIDF Bureau session in Jakarta
Suara Tani (BTI organ), Feb 1960 (vol. XI no. 2), OCR noisy. Covers BTI protest over price rises, sugar-cane land rents, Khrushchev's coming visit and the Bandung peace conference. On p. 3 an article welcomes the WIDF Bureau session in Jakarta (late Jan 1960), stressing peasant women's backwardness, citing Sri Darnings
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".
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.
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
Special intercession: Dutch church prayer on West Irian; Gerwani conference mention
De Waarheid, 18 Dec 1961, p. 6: mainly the Dutch Reformed Church's call for special prayer on West Irian. The last paragraph notes that in Jakarta Foreign Minister Subandrio spoke on West Irian at the congress of the 'large progressive women's movement Gerwani', after Sukarno's address the previous week stressing unity
Peking Review no. 52, 29 December 1961: Chinese women's delegation greets Fourth Gerwani Congress
Peking Review no. 52 (29 Dec 1961), weekly Chinese state magazine. Gerwani appears only in a short 'China and the World' item (p. 20): Kuo Chien, head of the Chinese women's delegation to Gerwani's Fourth National Congress (Djakarta, 14-17 Dec), sent greetings backing Indonesian women's struggle for West Irian. The iss
Pravda, 28 Apr 1962: Aidit's report to the Seventh (Extraordinary) PKI Congress
Pravda no. 118, 28 April 1962 (full issue). Page 4 reports D. N. Aidit's report to the Seventh (Extraordinary) PKI Congress (Jakarta): Guided Democracy, elections, West Irian, Malaysia, SEATO, party mass organisations. Gerwani appears in a single sentence, credited with 'important progress' in expanding organisation, m
Pravda, 28 Apr 1962: Aidit's report to the Seventh PKI Congress (excerpt)
Pravda no. 118, 28 April 1962 (excerpt of the page). Page 4 reports D. N. Aidit's report to the Seventh (Extraordinary) PKI Congress (Jakarta): Guided Democracy, elections, West Irian, Malaysia, SEATO, party mass organisations. Gerwani appears in a single sentence, credited with 'important progress' in expanding organi
Recognise the Indonesian just claim: Unite to build friendship!
Tribune (Sydney), 10 Jan 1962, p. 1 front-page editorial backing Sukarno's proclamation of West Irian as an Indonesian province and attacking the Menzies government and ALP leader Calwell. Gerwani appears only in a photo caption: delegates welcome Sukarno at the opening night in Jakarta of the recent Gerwani National C
Recognise the Indonesian just claim: Unite to build friendship!
Tribune (Sydney), 10 Jan 1962, p. 1 front-page editorial backing Sukarno's proclamation of West Irian as an Indonesian province and attacking the Menzies government and ALP leader Calwell. Gerwani appears only in a photo caption: delegates welcome Sukarno at the opening night in Jakarta of the recent Gerwani National C
Communists of Indonesia beloved by the people
Tribune (Sydney), 23 May 1962, p. 9: Laurie Aarons, Communist Party of Australia fraternal delegate, praises the Seventh Congress of the PKI as a mass party (383 delegates, 'two million' members) led by D.N. Aidit, with Sukarno speaking at the closing rally. Lists the mass organisations it leads: BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani
Communists of Indonesia beloved by the people
Tribune (Sydney), 23 May 1962, p. 9: Laurie Aarons, Communist Party of Australia fraternal delegate, praises the Seventh Congress of the PKI as a mass party (383 delegates, 'two million' members) led by D.N. Aidit, with Sukarno speaking at the closing rally. Lists the mass organisations it leads: BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani
World Congress of Women, Moscow, June 1963
WIDF publication on the World Congress of Women, Moscow, 24-29 June 1963 (1,543 women, 113 countries): reports, speeches, resolutions and the new WIDF council list. Gerwani is mentioned briefly: its roughly 1,000 day nurseries for working mothers are cited as a model; its role in the West Irian campaign is praised; and
Tenth Indonesian Women's Congress: Sukarno's Counsel
Report (1964) on the opening of the 10th Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) at Istora, Jakarta, with extracts of Hurustiati Subandrio's speech and Sukarno's address. Sukarno calls for 'Manipolist' women, a cooperative body uniting women's organisations, and warns against admitting persons linked to subversion or bann
Aust. delegate sees Indonesia
Tribune (Sydney), 2 Sep 1964, p. 9: Enid Hampson reports on the 10th Congress of Indonesian women's organisations (WANITA, 40 organisations) in Jakarta, 24 July 1964, opened before 9,000 women; Mrs Subandrio gave the main report. Sukarno urged women to a bigger role, food and Malaysia were main themes; also land reform
Aust. delegate sees Indonesia
Tribune (Sydney), 2 Sep 1964, p. 9: Enid Hampson reports on the 10th Congress of Indonesian women's organisations (WANITA, 40 organisations) in Jakarta, 24 July 1964, opened before 9,000 women; Mrs Subandrio gave the main report. Sukarno urged women to a bigger role, food and Malaysia were main themes; also land reform
Women's Movements in Indonesia through the Ages (Muhadjir Darwin, 2004)
Muhadjir Darwin's survey (March 2004) of Indonesian women's movements from precolonial heroines through the 1928 Women's Congress, Fujinkai, Kowani and the Sukarno-era polygamy campaign against Hartini, to the New Order. Short historical overview.