Berita Harian, 23 January 1965, p. 3: D.N. Aidit, speaking to Gerwani, accuses Deputy Prime Minister Chaerul Saleh of spreading a forged document claiming the PKI planned to seize power in 1970; he says he reported this to Sukarno. Clipping is partly unreadable. Shows Aidit using Gerwani as an audience for PKI rebuttal
De Telegraaf report (1 Feb 1965) on Indonesia's rapprochement with China, quoting Sukarno's CBS interview and Subandrio's Peking visit. Gerwani is not named; Hartini Sukarno is quoted at a women's movement gathering calling for common struggle with "Chinese comrades" in 1965.
New York Times, 27 March 1965, p.55, Neil Sheehan from Klaten, Central Java: on how the PKI and affiliates win peasant support through land-reform agitation and practical projects. Mrs. Sukarni, chair of the Klaten district women's organisation (Gerwani) and district committee member, says Gerwani works to remove restr
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 24 April 1965, long analytical article 'Aidit and Indonesian Communism: on the springboard to power'. It reviews the Indonesian crisis, PKI history from 1920 through Madiun 1948, Aidit's rise and biography. Gerwani appears once, as a PKI front organisation with 1.5 million members, alongside SOBSI
Short ANP wire item in Amigoe di Curaçao, 20 May 1965: Gerwani urges President Sukarno to ban the Murba party for good, calling it 'anti-Sukarno, anti-communist and anti-Nasakom'. Murba had been provisionally banned in January 1965. Shows Gerwani as a PKI-aligned political voice in the Nasakom polarisation.
Berita Harian, 8 Jun 1965 (Reuters, lead only). Sudibjo, secretary-general of the National Front, warned Indonesians to be vigilant against subversive movements of domestic women's organisations, speaking at a political rally of Gerwani.
Berita Harian, 8 June 1965, p. 3, Reuters: at a Gerwani political-military rally, National Front secretary-general Sudibjo warns the public to be vigilant against 'womanish' bourgeois women's organisations that are 'afraid of politics' and 'afraid of the people' and want to 'lure men'. Shows Gerwani's mobilisation in 1
Berita Harian (Singapore), 10 June 1965, p. 3, Reuters report: Sukarno, speaking to 10,000 'Communist women of Gerwani', says states backing Malaysia, Israel and South Korea should stay away from the Algiers Afro-Asian conference and that he will go with a Nasakom delegation including women's organisations. Shows Gerwa
Short De Telegraaf item (26 Jul 1965, ANP): Gerwani, called the Indonesian communist women's organisation, telegraphed the Dutch government demanding "immediate repatriation" of West Irianese footballer Dominggus Wawejai, claimed to have been kidnapped by Dutch reactionaries after being allowed to study in the Netherla
Berita Harian, 26 July 1965, p. 3: the PKI renews its demand that Sukarno cancel acceptance of new US ambassador Marshall Green; the demand, issued through its women's organisation Gerwani, also asks Sukarno to break diplomatic relations with the United States. Clipping breaks off. Evidence of Gerwani's anti-American c
ANP radio bulletin, 29 July 1965: footballer Wawejoi, who stayed in the Netherlands after the Indonesian team's visit, is expelled from the football union. Gerwani urges Jakarta to break off diplomatic relations with the Netherlands if it undermines Indonesia, demanding measures against those who allegedly kidnapped hi
Short ANP item in Het Vrije Volk (23 Sep 1965, p.9), one week before the coup attempt: thousands of Indonesian women demonstrated at the Ministry of Trade in Jakarta against rising prices of necessities, as reported by PKI paper Harian Rakjat. They demanded strong action against capitalists, bureaucrats, swindlers and
'Kort en klein' column, Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia (23 Sep 1965). One Indonesia item: thousands of women demonstrated before the trade ministry against high prices, per PKI paper Harian Rakjat, urging action against capitalists and bureaucrats. Organisers not named, Gerwani not mentioned. Other items unrelated.
'Kort en klein' column, Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia (23 Sep 1965), duplicate of the previous item. Thousands of women demonstrated before the trade ministry against high prices, per Harian Rakjat, urging action against capitalists and bureaucrats. Organisers not named, Gerwani not mentioned.
De Telegraaf item (7 Oct 1965) on General Suharto's television statement: the generals' bodies were found near the air-force base where Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani volunteers were trained, and an arrested female volunteer in Cirebon reportedly said volunteers came from Central Java. An early press link of Gerwani to the
Het Rotterdamsch Parool/ANP report (7 Oct 1965, p.1): Jakarta television showed a film of the exhumation of seven officers from the well at Lubang Buaya, with Suharto, voice trembling, saying the bodies were found near the air-force base training Pemuda Rakjat men and 'Gerwani' (for women) volunteers. A female voluntee
Leeuwarder Courant, 7 October 1965, p. 1: report on the exhumation of the seven murdered army officers from the Lubang Buaya well and the generals' funeral, with Nasution's escape and Lt Tendean's death. It relays Suharto's televised claim that the bodies lay next to a base where the air force trained Pemuda Rakjat and
Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia (7 Oct 1965): Jakarta TV shows exhumation of the generals' mutilated bodies from the Lubang Buaya well; Suharto says they were found near the air-force base where Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani volunteers were trained, citing an arrested female volunteer from Cirebon. Also the generals' funeral and
Berita Harian, 7 October 1965, p. 1: Radio Yogyakarta claims Col. Katamso's family was slaughtered; fighting at Klaten and Cirebon, where rebels included armed communist youth and Gerwani members; army paper's account of the seven officers' deaths (Yani, Suprapto, Haryono, Parman, Panjaitan, Sutoyo, Tendean) at Lubang
Berita Harian, 7 October 1965, p. 1: Sukarno's first cabinet meeting after 30 September; Nahdlatul Ulama demands a PKI ban and claims rebels armed Pemuda Rakyat, Gerwani and SOBSI, and that Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani members trained at 'Sarang Buaya' (Lubang Buaya). Also press and rally restrictions in Sumatra and an ar
The Straits Times, 7 October 1965, p. 1: Radio Jakarta says communists slaughtered civilians in Central Java; Yogyakarta retaken and Col. Katamso's family reportedly killed; fierce fighting at Klaten and Cirebon, where rebels included armed People's Youth Front and Gerwani members; 200 armed communists captured. Gerwan
Algemeen Handelsblad (1965-10-09), concluding part of 'Backgrounds of the rebellion in Djakarta': surveys PKI under Aidit, PNI infiltration (including its women's movement), PKI campaign against village ulama, the banned BPS and the army's rising role under Nasution. Names S.K. Trimurti as wife of Sajuti Melik and chai
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
ANP radio bulletin, 11 Oct 1965: the army arrests all PKI board members in Bandung, and in Aceh demonstrators burned down the headquarters of Gerwani. Also notes the evacuation of American embassy families from Jakarta. Early evidence of anti-Gerwani violence outside Java.
De Nieuwe Limburger, 11 Oct 1965 (ANP/UPI/AFP): despite Sukarno's call for moderation, the army starts a nationwide drive against the PKI. On Saturday a Muslim crowd plundered the houses of Aidit and Njoto and the Gerwani building; about 2,000 arrests near Jakarta; 44 parties demand a PKI ban. Early report of attacks o
De Telegraaf report (11 Oct 1965) that the army arrested over 1,500 communists, including Col. A. Latief; it states Gerwani members among the arrested "are said to be responsible for the torturing to death of the generals." Early Dutch-press repetition of the Gerwani slander.
De Volkskrant commentary (11 Oct 1965) warning that the hunt for communists could drive Aidit's followers to armed self-defence. It describes Muslim demonstrators wrecking Aidit's and Njoto's houses and then "the headquarters of the communist women's organisation Gerwani", and army occupation of PKI headquarters in Ace
Friese Koerier ANP/Reuters wire report (11 Oct 1965, p.1) on the situation in Java after the 30 September coup attempt: 90% of rebels reportedly arrested, Muslims looting the homes of Aidit and Njoto and the Gerwani headquarters. It adds that among arrested communists are Gerwani members 'said to be responsible for the
New York Herald Tribune (European ed.), 11 Oct 1965, Reuters report 'Army Nets 1,500 Reds' from Djakarta. Says the army arrested at least 1,500 Communists, including members of 'the Gerwani Communist women's movement, some members of which are alleged to have tortured the six army generals', plus PKI band and choir mem
The Irish Times, 11 Oct 1965, p.66 (Reuter and AP): mass arrests of Communists in Jakarta (about 1,500 detained) after PKI headquarters were burned; Muslims and army organise processions demanding Aidit be hanged. Those arrested include Gerwani members, some alleged to have tortured the six generals, and a crowd of Mus