70 million workers and 80 million women protest against colonial war
De Waarheid report (6 Jan 1949) on international protests against the Dutch "Christmas" military action in Indonesia: the WFTU statement, and the WIDF telegram and letter to the Security Council on behalf of 80 million women including its Indonesian and Dutch affiliates. Also covers Security Council scheduling and Mini
CIA information report, 14 April 1950: Communist developments in Indonesia
CIA information report, 14 April 1950: 'Communist Developments in Indonesia', on the PKI, FDR and Partai Murba after the 1948 Madiun revolt, their alliance, infiltration of labour and army, and factions. Tan Ling Djie, Abdul Madjid, Sakirman and Wikana are named; Umi Sardjono appears only as head of one Partai Buruh In
Delegates to World Peace Congress
Nieuwe Courant, 3 November 1950: conference of the Committee for World Peace in Yogyakarta, attended by branches and representatives of Kowani, Gerwis, Front Pemuda Indonesia, BTI, Sobsi, Pesindo and others. It endorsed the Prague appeal, proposals for the London congress (five-power peace, Dutch army withdrawal, no fo
'World Peace' (peace conference in Yogyakarta)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (4 Nov 1950, p.2): a World Peace Committee conference in Yogyakarta approved the Prague appeal, proposed demands for the Nederlandse army's withdrawal from Indonesia and an end to foreign interference (Irian, Moluccas) for a London congress, and reported 180,000 signatures. Delegates include
Shen Zijiu and others to represent WIDF at Indonesian women's congress (Renmin Ribao, 20 November 1950)
Short Xinhua item in Renmin Ribao, 20 Nov 1950 (p. 4): Shen Zijiu, Zeng Ke and Qi Yun of the All-China Democratic Women's Federation, with secretary Zhou Shumin, leave Beijing on 17 Nov as WIDF representatives to attend the All-Indonesian Women's Congress to open in Jakarta on 24 Nov. Early evidence of WIDF links to In
Shen Zijiu and others to represent WIDF at Indonesian women's congress (Renmin Ribao, 20 November 1950)
Short Xinhua item in Renmin Ribao, 20 Nov 1950 (p. 4): Shen Zijiu, Zeng Ke and Qi Yun of the All-China Democratic Women's Federation, with secretary Zhou Shumin, leave Beijing on 17 Nov as WIDF representatives to attend the All-Indonesian Women's Congress to open in Jakarta on 24 Nov. Early evidence of WIDF links to In
Fifth Women's Congress opened in Jakarta (KOWANI)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (28 Nov 1950, p.2): the KOWANI 5th women's congress opens in Jakarta with about 200 delegates; Mrs Pudjobuntoro says the struggle continues until Irian returns. Preliminary papers: Miss Soesilowati on elections and women in parliament, Mr Nani Suwondo on marriage, Miss Suwarti on labour and
Indonesia refuses visas, Chinese women's delegation returns to Beijing (Renmin Ribao, 6 January 1951)
Renmin Ribao, 6 Jan 1951 (p. 4): the Chinese women's delegation (Shen Zijiu, Zeng Ke, Qi Yun) sent for the WIDF to the All-Indonesian Women's Congress could not attend because the Indonesian government refused entry visas despite repeated negotiations with the Indonesian consul in Hong Kong. They reported to WIDF and r
Indonesia refuses visas, Chinese women's delegation returns to Beijing (Renmin Ribao, 6 January 1951)
Renmin Ribao, 6 Jan 1951 (p. 4): the Chinese women's delegation (Shen Zijiu, Zeng Ke, Qi Yun) sent for the WIDF to the All-Indonesian Women's Congress could not attend because the Indonesian government refused entry visas despite repeated negotiations with the Indonesian consul in Hong Kong. They reported to WIDF and r
Acheson on Korea (note on Children's Day in Jakarta)
Nieuwe Courant, 4 June 1951: Acheson on Korea and the risk of Soviet intervention, with a short note that about 10,000 children celebrated International Children's Day on Merdeka Square, Jakarta, on a committee including Gerwis, IPPA and Pemuda Rakjat, with 4,000 Chinese youths from eight Chinese schools.
Second group of Indonesians left for Berlin World Youth Festival
De Waarheid, 7 Jul 1951, p. 3: short report that a second group of Indonesian participants left Jakarta on 2 July for the Third World Youth Festival in Berlin, 38 in all. Among them is Darmini, representing the women's movement, with painter Sudjojono and union and youth delegates. Farewell speeches came from PKI, SOBS
WIDF Bulletin no. 5/1952 'The Women of Indonesia': a WIDF-sympathetic account of postwar Indonesia in 1952, covering militarised budgets, unemployment, hunger, maternal and infant mortality, the Round Table legacy and US agreements. It says women formed committees for 8 March and Children's Day and that local GERWIS br
Neues Deutschland, 5 Mar 1952, p. 5: Mass meetings in Indonesia
Neues Deutschland, 5 March 1952, p. 5: ADN dispatch from Jakarta, 'Massenversammlungen in Indonesien', within a roundup on International Women's Day. Preparatory committees plan mass meetings on 8 March and a signature drive for a five-power peace pact, and petitions demanding an end to restrictions on democratic right
Harian Rakjat, 23 April 1952: Kartini Day commemorations, Mrs Sri Kusnapsiah speaks
Page of the Jakarta daily Harian Rakjat, 23 April 1952 (Kartini Day issue; OCR very noisy). It reports Hari Kartini commemorations in Jakarta (about 650 women at Garden Hall), in The Hague, where Ny. S. Sri Kusnapsiah spoke on Kartini's aims and thought, and in Semarang, Bogor and elsewhere, alongside Wilopo-cabinet an
Indonesia commemorates Kartini's birthday
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 30 Apr 1952, p. 2: report on Kartini Day commemorations in Jakarta, Bandung, The Hague and the US. At a packed Garden Hall meeting in Jakarta organised by women's and girls' associations including Gerwis and PPI, the audience sang the Kartini song and observed a minute's silence.
Impressive demonstrations throughout Indonesia (May Day 1952)
De Waarheid, 2 May 1952, p. 3: dispatch on May Day demonstrations across Indonesian cities by committees including SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat and the women's organisation Gerwis; Jakarta rally at Merdeka Square. Reports government attempts to prevent them, including bans in Surabaya on discussing germ warfare and carrying po
Delegation to US embassy protests bacteriological war in Korea
De Nieuwsgier, 27 June 1952 (Sin Po): on the Korean War anniversary, a nine-organisation delegation including Gerwis, SOBSI, Pemuda Rakjat, Lekra and the peace committee protests at the US embassy against alleged bacteriological warfare, but is turned away. They write to the foreign minister asking Indonesia to press f
Indonesia shows solidarity with fighting Korea
De Waarheid, 3 Jul 1952, p. 5: dispatch on Indonesian solidarity with Korea on the war's second anniversary. A 17-person delegation of the Indonesian Peace Committee, including Francisca Fanggidaej, visited the US embassy in Jakarta to protest killings of women and children; Ambassador Cochran refused to receive them,
Francisca Fanggidaej leaves for Copenhagen (Harian Rakjat, 28 July 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 28 Jul 1952, p. 4: brief news note that Francisca Fanggidaej was to leave for Copenhagen at the invitation of the preparatory committee of an international youth conference, as part of an Indonesian national youth delegation. Pemuda Rakyat approved her departure; the planned 19th departure was cancelled
Gerwis East Java: delegation to the Peking peace conference
Short Aneta item, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 18 Aug 1952, p. 3: the East Java branch conference of Gerwis decides to send a delegation (Mrs Tam, Sulami, Warmi) to the Asian peace conference in Peking. Also notes Salatiga teacher-training funds and the Parindra congress.
Demonstrations banned: Surabaya refuses permission for 7 September rally
De Vrije Pers item (4 Sep 1952): Surabaya authorities refused permission for the 7 September demonstration for August-raid detainees; a delegation of Mrs. Tam, Mrs. Talia and Miss Sulami left for Jakarta to seek a presidential audience, and Tam and Sulami with Miss Warmi and Mr Fatkali were to go on to the "communist p
Arrest of Sunito and Go Gien Tjwan: countermeasures demanded in Indonesia
De Waarheid, 9 Dec 1952, p. 4: Jakarta dispatch on reactions to the Dutch arrest of Indonesians Sunito and Go Gien Tjwan in Amsterdam and action against PKI representatives Aidit and Njoto. The PKI Central Committee calls it arbitrary and urges reprisals; Gerwis also asked the government for counter-measures. A Dutch p
Conference of the Indonesian women's movement
Short item, Java-Bode, 1 Apr 1953, p. 2: Gerwis takes the initiative to hold a conference of women's organisations in Jakarta on 2-3 April, ahead of the world women's congress in Denmark, to discuss sending a delegation; press conference on 4 April.
Conference of the Indonesian women's movement
Short item, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 8 Apr 1953, p. 1: Gerwis takes the initiative for a conference of women's organisations in Jakarta on 2-3 April, ahead of the world women's congress in Denmark in June, to discuss sending a delegation; press conference on 4 April.
Latest news from Indonesia (April 1953)
News roundup of Antara dispatches, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 18 Apr 1953, p. 4. Relevant: Maasje Siwi of Gerwis left Surabaya for Copenhagen for the WIDF conference; SOBSI and union leaders left for Peking; also 17 October affair follow-up and Chairul Saleh's expulsion from the Netherlands.
The small world (news column, with item on Gerwis and the Rosenbergs)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra news-in-brief column 'De kleine wereld' (3 Jul 1953, p.4). Among items on a pharmacy strike, a journalist's film censored, a Guatemala explosion and Dusseldorf baby names, one notes that the Indonesian women's movement GERWIS urged the US government, via its Jakarta embassy, to guarantee the
News from Indonesia, 15 July 1953 (Gerwis and the Rosenberg children)
Local news column, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 15 Jul 1953, p. 3. Only relevant item: Gerwis urged the American government, via the US embassy in Jakarta, to guarantee the welfare of the two Rosenberg children. Other items concern a lost copra boat and Mount Sumbing.
National and Foreign News in Brief (Daily Mirror, 18 December 1953)
Daily Mirror (Sydney), 18 December 1953, p. 11, a page of national and foreign news briefs. Only one item concerns Indonesia: a short AP report from Jakarta that 2,000 sarong-clad Indonesian women jammed the capital's streets demanding a government ban on polygamy and child marriage. No organisation is named. The other
WIDF pamphlet 'I Want To Live' (Berlin, May 1954) campaigning to ban atomic weapons after the March 1954 Bikini H-bomb test, with Hiroshima testimonies, the Stockholm Appeal and WIDF appeals. Page 25 cites a resolution of 1 April 1954 in Jakarta by the National Congress of the 'Indonesian Women's Democratic Organisatio
Illustrations from Joop Wolff's book on Indonesia: review mentions Gerwis marriage-law struggle
De Waarheid, 23 Jan 1954, p. 6: Annie Averink's review of Joop Wolff's Pegasus book 'Uit het rijk der duizend eilanden', based on a trip to Indonesia after the SOBSI congress of late 1952, with colonial-contrast views of Jakarta and kampongs. It notes that Gerwis, which organises workers' and peasants' wives, leads wom