FBIS, 15 December 1949: Lillah Suripno of Indonesia speaks
FBIS-monitored Xinhua text (15 Dec 1949) of a speech by Indonesian delegate 'Lillah' (Lily) Suripno at the Asian Women's Conference, Peking, 12 Dec. She thanks WIDF, surveys Indonesian anti-colonial history, the 1926-27 PKI revolts, Japanese occupation, women in guerrilla struggle, and calls for a PKI-led front of demo
CIA report, 6 April 1950: Ho Chi Minh's Indonesian agents
CIA report, 6 April 1950, claiming Aidit and Trimurti visited Ho Chi Minh and would return as his 'agents' to build a people's army in Indonesia. Almost certainly unreliable but links future Gerwis founder S.K. Trimurti to alleged transnational conspiracy.
CIA report, 26 February 1951: Estimate of the current economic situation in Indonesia
CIA report, 26 February 1951, on alleged communist-directed strike sabotage in Indonesia via SOBSI and WFTU. Gerwani-relevant only for naming a batik workers' union organised by Mrs Trimurti.
Analysis of Communist Propaganda in Indonesia (OIR 5714.7, 1952)
OSS/State Department report OIR 5714.7 (30 May 1952) analysing PKI propaganda: party structure, front organisations, relations with international communism and themes. Names Gerwis under Mrs Mudigdo as the communist vehicle competing with Kowani for women, and BTI under S. Sardjono; appendices cover publishing, films,
CIA study, May 1955: The Communist Party of Indonesia - a survey of PKI organization and history
CIA study, May 1955, surveying PKI organisation and history before the 1955 elections, with a short section on Gerwani among eight front organisations (pp. 49-50) and PKI foreign channels. Earliest extended US assessment of Gerwani as a PKI front.
CIA intelligence survey of the PKI's history, structure and front organisations, May 1955, before the September 1955 elections. Section III.E (report pp. 49-50) profiles Gerwani: founded 1950 as Gerwis, renamed Gerwani at the March 1954 congress, 25,000+ members, S.K. Trimurti general chairman and Umi Sardjono chairman
FBIS, 28 March 1959: Aidit broadcast speech (farewell to the Chinese people)
FBIS-monitored Xinhua text (28 Mar 1959) of D.N. Aidit's farewell broadcast to the Chinese people after a fortnight's PKI delegation visit. He praises the Great Leap and people's communes, defends them against 'imperialist lies', and argues peasant women welcome communal dining and nurseries because 'a smoky kitchen is
FBIS, 29 September 1959: Delegations arrive for National Day (Peking)
FBIS editorial report (29 Sep 1959) listing foreign delegations arriving in Peking for China's National Day celebrations (communist parties, youth, student, peace and women's bodies). Under the WIDF delegation, 'N.J. Mudikdio' (Mudigdio) is named as a PKI parliamentary-group member, WIDF council member and vice chairma
CIA Current Intelligence Weekly Summary, 12 November 1959
CIA Current Intelligence Weekly Summary, 12 Nov 1959, a long multi-topic report; the Indonesia part (pp.23-27) assesses PKI strength (Aidit's claim of 1.5 million members, Java as base, army and Sukarno restrictions, Aidit's 1959 Moscow and Peking trip). It names GERWANI as the PKI's women's front, alongside Pemuda Rak
Foreign Office/CRO Papers on the PKI and Malaysia Confrontation (DO 169/516, 1964)
British Commonwealth Relations Office/Foreign Office file (DO 169/516, 1964) on Indonesia and Malaysia. It combines handwritten minutes, an IRD intelligence paper on the PKI (Aidit's December 1963 plenum, Sino-Soviet line, the prospect of PKI power within five years), a brief 'Communists smoothing path to power in Indo
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (30 Sep 1964): Mao Zedong and other leaders received over 70 foreign guests on the eve of National Day. Among the Indonesians: Naibaho (Harian Rakjat editor), Siauw Giok Tjhan, and Mme Suharti, PKI Central Committee member and first vice chairman of the Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani)
FO 371/180324: Attempted Coup against Sukarno [15] (Nov 1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180324 (1965), 'Attempted coup against Sukarno [15]': telegrams and letters from Djakarta, Washington and Peking, November 1965, plus appended US and Canadian reports. It records Sukarno's Heroes Day speech, Adam Malik's view of the Sukarno-generals stalemate and accounts of 30 September.
FO 371/180326: Political Parties and Communism (Feb-Aug 1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180326 (Feb-Aug 1965): embassy telegrams, letters and Antara extracts on the PKI's growth before the coup: its 45th anniversary, Aidit's speeches, Mao's greeting, Sino-Soviet positions and Sukarno's leftward drift. Gerwani items: Antara of 9 June reports Sukarno addressing Gerwani, chaired
FO 371/180333: Bilateral Relations with China (1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180333 (Jan-Dec 1965): Peking, Djakarta and Hanoi telegrams on Sino-Indonesian relations: Subandrio's visit, delegations, PKI-China links, then the post-coup anti-Chinese wave, attacks on Chinese premises and Medan riots. Only Gerwani mention: Angkatan Bersendjata (29 Oct, p. 82) says the
Umi Sardjono Leads Women Volunteers to DRV Embassy (FBIS, 8 Apr 1965)
FBIS Daily Report page (8 Apr 1965; HathiTrust scan p.251, North Vietnam section): continuation of the VNA volunteer report. Contains the passage that about 100 women volunteers led by Mrs Umi Sardjono, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement, went to the DRV Embassy and NFLSV office on 4 April, including wives of
CIA, Press information relating to insurgency and counterinsurgency: South and East Asia (Summary 6897), 4 November 1965
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
Hysni Kapo to the Chinese Ambassador on Aid to Indonesian Comrades and Students, 16 Dec 1965
Record of Hysni Kapo (Albanian Party of Labour) to the Chinese ambassador, 16 Dec 1965 (Albanian original, scanned; only this item is in the file). After reporting on Polish Marxist-Leninists, Kapo says Indonesian comrades asked about Indonesian students in 'revisionist' countries; Albania offers to host communist stud
US Embassy Jakarta cable, 30 Dec 1974: Sutanti Aidit confirmed as 'Class A' detainee
Confidential US Embassy Jakarta cable to the State Department, 30 December 1974 (declassified), reporting that Indonesian government sources confirm Sutanti Aidit is a 'Class A' detainee, i.e. slated for trial over the 1965 'coup attempt'. They describe her as a PKI central committee member, leading supporter of husban
US Embassy Jakarta cable, 30 Dec 1974: Sutanti Aidit confirmed as 'Class A' detainee
Confidential US Embassy Jakarta cable to the State Department, 30 December 1974 (declassified), reporting that Indonesian government sources confirm Sutanti Aidit is a 'Class A' detainee, i.e. slated for trial over the 1965 'coup attempt'. They describe her as a PKI central committee member, leading supporter of husban