CIA report, 30 April 1951, on 'Women Communists in Indonesia': Chinese and Indonesian women's links, the Stockholm peace appeal, and Gerwis chair 'Sri Mangunsarkoro' protesting France's ban on the WIDF. Early foreign surveillance of Gerwis's WIDF ties.
FBIS item (17 Sep 1951): Mrs S.K. Trimurti, chairman of the Executive Committee of Gerwis (Indonesian Women's Movement), was arrested on 16 Sept on the Attorney General's orders while applying at the Jakarta Immigration Office for a passport to visit China for the 1 October anniversary celebrations of the PRC. Key reco
One-line FBIS item (6 Apr 1952): the Movement of Awakened Indonesian Women (Gerwis) will send delegates to the International Conference for the Defense of Children in Vienna, 12-16 April. Evidence of Gerwis's international children's and WIDF-circle activity.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (17 May 1952) on responses from 20 countries to the call for an Asia-Pacific Peace Conference in Peking. The Indonesian section lists 11 sponsors chosen in April, including Suwarti, member of Parliament and president of Gerwis, plus Setiadi, Tjoa Sik Ien, Dharta (Lekra), Djawoto (Antara), S
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (31 May 1952) on a Peking meeting for International Children's Day welcoming delegates returning from the Vienna children's conference. Mme Suwarti of Indonesia described the miserable life of Indonesian people and children under American imperialist exploitation and praised New China's car
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (3 Jun 1952) on the opening of the preparatory meeting for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference, Peking: 49 delegates from 19 countries. The Indonesian delegation is Suwarti (Gerwis president), Suroso and Surjonegoro; Suwarti is on the presidium and the manifesto drafting commission, and Indon
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (4 Jun 1952) on day two of the Peking preparatory meeting for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference. Suwarti of Indonesia chaired the late-morning session; Surjonegoro of Indonesia made a statement. Greetings read from the All-China Democratic Women's Federation and other Chinese bodies and fro
FBIS-monitored Chinese Home Service excerpts (6 Jun 1952): press interview with Indonesian delegates Suwarti and Surjonegoro in Peking. They described Indonesian livelihood under foreign capital, the land question, US aid and the rubber embargo (prices down about 70%), and said over 600,000 Indonesians signed a request
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (11 Oct 1952) on a session of the Asian and Pacific Peace Conference in Peking: Dr Chen Wen-kuei's indictment of US bacteriological warfare, then speeches by delegates from India, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, Chile, Vietnam. Umi Sardjono, a woman delegate from Indonesia, said Indone
CIA report, 6 July 1953, on Gerwis commissars assigned to West Java areas (Djatinegara, Bogor, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bandung), with background on Kartinah and Kartowijono and their ties to Perwari, peace and WIDF activity. Names regional Gerwis leaders.
US State Department Office of Intelligence Research report IR-6165, 'Communism in the Free World' (January 1953), a compilation of about 30 country studies of communist capabilities, held in the CIA reading room. The Indonesia study (IR-6165.3) covers PKI aims and tactics, labour, and front organisations. Section VI.A
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (24 Jan 1953): China Peace Committee gave a welcoming banquet for delegates of several countries to the recent (Vienna) Congress, including Indonesian delegates K. Werdojo, S.A.M. Mudigdio, Sunardi and Sukrisno. Records Mudigdio's visit to China after the Vienna peace congress.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua excerpt (24 Jan 1953): four Indonesian delegates to the Vienna Peace Congress (K. Werdojo, S.A.M. Mudigdio and Sunardi, MPs, and Sukrisno, assistant editor-in-chief of ANTARA) arrived in Peking by air the previous day at the invitation of the China Peace Committee, with a Burmese delegate. Records
Short Xinhua item (17 Feb 1953, via FBIS): S.A.M. Mudigdio and three other Indonesian delegates to the Vienna Peace Congress left Canton on 16 Feb for home via Hong Kong, seen off by the Canton China Peace Committee branch; they had arrived in Canton on 1 February. Concludes Mudigdio's China visit.
FBIS item (20 Apr 1953): MP Tjugito (OCR) and Suharjo, secretary-general of SABDA, left Jakarta as SOBSI delegates to May Day in Peking. S.K. Trimurti left with the SOBSI delegation and would attend the women's congress in Copenhagen (World Congress of Women). Shows Trimurti's travel in the WIDF circuit.
FBIS item (4 May 1953): first group of Indonesia's delegation to the International Women's Congress in Copenhagen (from 5 June) left Jakarta by ship on 4 May: a SARBUPRI central committee woman (name garbled, Suranto), Maasje Siwi and Kartinah, both of Gerwis. Records named Gerwis delegates to the WIDF congress.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (4 Jul 1953): eighteen Chinese delegates to the World Congress of Women (Copenhagen), led by deputy leader Chang Yun, returned to Peking on 4 July with ten foreign women delegates invited to visit China, including Kartinah of Indonesia (Kartinah Kurdi, Gerwis). Shows the post-Copenhagen China
CIA information report, 6 Nov 1953: 'Financial Problems of Communist Front Organizations' (Indonesia). Reports that the World Peace Committee sought Rp 50,000 from a Chinese organisation and that GERWIS has not paid its monthly Rp 2,500 to SOBSI since January 1953 and has also asked for aid. One page; a single paragrap
CIA report, 6 May 1954: Trimurti and Dr Thung Sin Nio collecting funds to finance the Gerwis (now Gerwani) congress in Jakarta, 25-31 March 1954, including from Chinese-Indonesian donors. Evidence on congress financing and cross-community support.
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio item (11 Mar 1954): two delegates of the Soviet Anti-Fascist Women's Committee will attend the Second Gerwis Congress in Jakarta, 24-31 March, at the invitation of the Gerwis central committee; delegates from other Eastern-bloc countries will also attend. Evidence of Gerwis's socialist-bloc
FBIS item (12 Mar 1954): the Gerwis congress committee invited women's organisations in Britain, the Netherlands, the USSR, India, China and Australia to the congress due 24-31 March; the People's Republic of China reportedly said it could not send a delegation.
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio (4 Apr 1954): President and Madame Sukarno received Gerwani members after their Second Congress; Sukarno said equal rights are not women's final mission, which needs a just, prosperous country. A Dutch women's movement member spoke for peace; Sukarno tied Indonesian-Dutch understanding to W
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (4 Apr 1954): at its congress (25 Mar-1 Apr, Jakarta) the Indonesian women's movement, Gerwani, pledged support for the Geneva Conference and demanded prohibition of weapons of mass destruction. Says Gerwani is the new name of the women's democratic federation (Gerwis), a permanent WIDF membe
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
CIA compilation 'WIDF: A Compilation of Available Basic Information' (Oct 1956). In its affiliate list it gives Gerwani (Gerakan Wanita Indonesia) claimed strength of 281,000 (Feb 1955) and 565,147 (Apr 1956), with president Umi Sardjono and vice-president Suharti Suwarto (p.20); the WIDF Council list shows Indonesian
CIA compilation of reference data (February 1957, data to 1 October 1956) on international communist-front organisations and friendship societies, including the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). The WIDF directory lists headquarters, publications, executive officers and national affiliates. Under Indo
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1958) extracts: Kowani secretariat (Maria Ulfah Santoso chair, Mudigdio of Gerwani treasurer); Harian Rakjat's 30 Dec 1957 list of Gerwani's working council (Umi Sardjono chair; Mudigdio, Suharti, S.K. Trimurti deputies; Kartinah secretary-general; Sulami deputy; Suwati Sutrimo Sudji
US FBIS Daily Report (Foreign Radio Broadcasts), page of 1 May 1958 carrying an NCNA English item of 28 April 1958: Mme Tanti Aidit and Mme Sutarsih, members of the central committee of the 'Indonesian Women's Movement' (Gerwani), arrived in Peking by air as guests of the National Women's Federation to attend May Day.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (5 Jun 1958): Mmes Tanti Aidit and Sutarsih, members of the Central Committee of the Indonesian Women's Movement, left Peking after visiting China at the All-China Women's Federation's invitation for May Day (arrived 28 Apr); they also visited North Korea at the invitation of the Korean Democ