ANP news report, 10 October 1965 (Indonesia: arrests continue)
ANP radio bulletin, 10 Oct 1965: arrests continue in Jakarta; among arrested communists are members of Gerwani, 'said to be responsible' for the killing/mutilation of the six generals (garbled in source). Also reports Njoto's reported arrest, soldiers at Hotel Indonesia and 1,500-2,000 arrests in Java in a week. An ear
Sukarno given list of suspected MPs; women demonstrate against Communists (South China Morning Post, 9 November 1965)
South China Morning Post, 9 Nov 1965, p.20 (Jakarta, 8 Nov): Sukarno is given a list of suspected PKI members of parliament; about 10,000 housewives, girl students and actresses marched to Suharto's HQ and the National Front office shouting support for Sukarno and the armed forces, denounced Gerwani, 'the PKI's women's
Women Denounce Reds (Sunraysia Daily, 10 November 1965)
Sunraysia Daily (Mildura), 10 November 1965, p. 14, AAP/UPI report from Jakarta that 10,000 women (housewives, students, actresses) denounced Gerwani as 'a disgrace to Indonesian womanhood' and demanded its dissolution. They marched from Suharto's headquarters to the National Front with bands and batons and handed a pe
Women Denounce Reds (Sunraysia Daily, 10 November 1965), duplicate
Sunraysia Daily (Mildura), 10 November 1965, p. 14, AAP/UPI report from Jakarta that 10,000 women (housewives, students, actresses) denounced Gerwani as 'a disgrace to Indonesian womanhood' and demanded its dissolution. They marched from Suharto's headquarters to the National Front with bands and batons and handed a pe
Almost overlords yesterday, almost outlaws today: what happened to the PKI? (Bloodworth, Straits Times, 1965)
The Straits Times, 8 December 1965, p. 12, analysis by Dennis Bloodworth on why the PKI failed. In passing it repeats the Lubang Buaya slander as fact: 'six leading generals were done to death, horribly mutilated by doe-eye girls of the PKI's Gerwani women's movement'. It then covers Sukarno's weakness, Nasution's esca
Evening Post (Wellington), 10 Dec 1965, commentary on the Indonesian Communists after the 30 September coup. It repeats the Lubang Buaya atrocity claim that six generals were 'horribly mutilated by doe-eyed girls' of the PKI's 'Gerwani' women's movement and thrown into a well, with Communist youth dancing at Halim; als
Sukarno the Key to Any Revolution in Indonesia (Evening Post, 10 December 1965), headline clipping
Headline-only clipping 'Sukarno the Key to Any Revolution in Indonesia' from the Evening Post of 10 Dec 1965; no further text. The full article repeats the Gerwani Lubang Buaya claim.
Sukarno the Key to Any Revolution in Indonesia (Evening Post, 10 December 1965), standfirst clipping
Standfirst clipping of the Evening Post article of 10 Dec 1965: the Indonesian Communists, 'almost overlords yesterday, almost outlaws today', miscalculated their moment, strength and strategy and the determination of the military and Muslims to wipe them out. Gerwani is not named in this fragment.
Sukarno the Key to Any Revolution in Indonesia (Evening Post, 10 December 1965), clipping on Gerwani claim
Clipping from the Evening Post of 10 Dec 1965: says Sukarno could not back the coup because of its brutality, and that six generals were 'horribly mutilated by doe-eyed girls' of the PKI's 'Gerwani' women's movement and thrown into a well, while Communist youth danced at Halim. This is the Lubang Buaya sexual-atrocity
Sukarno the Key to Any Revolution in Indonesia (Evening Post, 10 December 1965), closing clipping
Closing clipping of the Evening Post article of 10 Dec 1965: Nasution's escape over his garden wall and the murder of his five-year-old daughter; alleged PKI plans for arson and famine; the party's 'patriotic' image destroyed; Sukarno forced to appoint Suharto army chief while the Army mops up Communists in Central and
Worries of the Indonesian housewife
Algemeen Handelsblad feature from Surabaya (1966-01-04) on housewives and domestic servants at Lebaran and rising prices. A key passage repeats the Lubang Buaya claim that Gerwani members had military training and, per arrested women's confessions, took part in the generals' murders, and alleges Gerwani members worked
Bloody Orgy at Halim Air Base (Canberra Times, 15 April 1966)
Canberra Times, 15 Apr 1966, p. 10: concluding part of a 'Special Correspondent' account repeating the Lubang Buaya slander. Claims 100 Gerwani women at Halim took razor blades, tortured and mutilated the generals, citing 'Mrs Djamilah' via the Djakarta Mail (15 Nov), singing 'People's Blood'. Adds Nasution escape narr
Bloody Orgy at Halim Air Base (Canberra Times, 15 April 1966), duplicate
Canberra Times, 15 Apr 1966, p. 10: concluding part of a 'Special Correspondent' account repeating the Lubang Buaya slander. Claims 100 Gerwani women at Halim took razor blades, tortured and mutilated the generals, citing 'Mrs Djamilah' via the Djakarta Mail (15 Nov), singing 'People's Blood'. Adds Nasution escape narr
Press (Christchurch), 8 Oct 1966, short item with photo: anti-Communist students demonstrating in Jakarta demand the arrest and trial of Hartini Sukarno, the President's second wife, for economic deviation, affiliation with Communist leaders and patronage of Gerwani, whose members are said to have played a major role i
Students Demand Trial for Mrs Hartini Sukarno (Press, Christchurch, 8 October 1966), photograph clipping
Photograph-only clipping from the Press (Christchurch), 8 Oct 1966: demonstrators with banners and flags in Jakarta, one banner partly legible; illustrates the students' demand to try Hartini Sukarno for patronage of Gerwani. No caption text in this clipping.
Students Demand Trial for Mrs Hartini Sukarno (Press, Christchurch, 8 October 1966), caption clipping
Caption clipping from the Press (Christchurch), 8 Oct 1966: anti-Communist students in Jakarta demand Hartini Sukarno's arrest and trial for economic deviation, affiliation with Communist leaders and patronage of Gerwani, 'whose members are said to have played a major role' in the killing of six Army generals in Octobe
Former PKI treasurer arrested
Amigoe di Curaçao, 6 Sept 1967: Mrs Djoebaedah, former treasurer of the PKI women's movement (i.e. Gerwani, not named), was arrested in Jakarta after being a fugitive. She is accused of taking part in the torture and murder of six generals on 1 October 1965; documents were reportedly found. Typical New Order framing of
Indonesia and the Wertheim Committee: Nijmegen congress and Dutch aid to Suharto
Long De Tijd opinion piece by Arie Kuiper (24 Apr 1969) on the Nijmegen student congress and the Wertheim Indonesia Committee's call to halt Dutch aid to Suharto's regime. It acknowledges hundreds of thousands killed and many political prisoners but blames Muslim hatred and defends Suharto; it repeats that generals wer
Sukarno, founder of Indonesia
Algemeen Handelsblad obituary-profile of Sukarno (1970-06-22), covering his life, Guided Democracy, Nasakom, and the 30 September 1965 events, which it blames on palace guards and communist groups, followed by an anti-communist reaction costing 'tens of thousands' of lives. A photo caption states General Yani was murde
Indonesia Girl Admits Torture (Canberra Times, 13 January 1971)
Canberra Times, 13 Jan 1971, p. 7 (AAP-Reuter): at the trial of Sukatno, ex-chairman of the Communist youth organisation, Gerwani member Emmy Marjani, 24, now under arrest, testifies she gouged a general's eyes on 30 Sep 1965 and saw friends mutilate another, claiming she was paid one million rupiah. Repeats the Lubang
Indonesia Girl Admits Torture (Canberra Times, 13 January 1971), duplicate
Canberra Times, 13 Jan 1971, p. 7 (AAP-Reuter): at the trial of Sukatno, ex-chairman of the Communist youth organisation, Gerwani member Emmy Marjani, 24, now under arrest, testifies she gouged a general's eyes on 30 Sep 1965 and saw friends mutilate another, claiming she was paid one million rupiah. Repeats the Lubang
Skewed conclusions from Sukarno's letters: De Telegraaf commentary on Gerwani's role
De Telegraaf commentary by Frank de Jong (26 Sep 1973) attacking NRC conclusions drawn from Sukarno letters published by Ratna Sari Dewi. It asserts as "established beyond dispute" that thousands of Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani members took part in the abduction and slow torture of the six generals, repeating the slander.
The trauma of 1965 itches and nags
Jan Bezemer's long Trouw weekend feature (30 Sep 1995) on the unresolved 1965 trauma. Covers the 30 September events, Suharto's role, US encouragement, massacres (Gatot's trial testimony) and the smear campaign against Gerwani. Draws on Saskia Wieringa's doctoral research: Gerwani was blamed for mutilating the generals
Suharto's fear of the voice of Gerwani (on Saskia Wieringa's research)
De Vrijdag (Het Parool, 6 Oct 1995) article by Hanneke de Wit on Saskia Wieringa's Amsterdam PhD on the Indonesian women's movement. It recounts the 1965 press claims that Gerwani girls castrated and blinded generals and danced naked, which Wieringa calls lies; autopsies showed the generals intact. It details forced 'c