Dossier of the Indonesian Drama (Lucien Rey, New Left Review, 1966)
Article by Lucien Rey (New Left Review no. 36, March 1966) reconstructing the 1 October 1965 events as a plot by dissident Central Java officers, plus a translated Asahi Shimbun interview with PKI deputy chair Njoto. Says People's Youth and Gerwani auxiliaries trained at Halim took part in the generals' executions in r
Angkatan Bersendjata, 4 January 1966
Angkatan Bersendjata, 4 Jan 1966. Reports the arrest in Tangerang of Sariningsih, called a 'Gerwani Lubang Buaya' fugitive, and a joke on Gerwani 'savagery'; also 1,204 detainees (83 women) in South Jakarta.
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
Angkatan Bersendjata, 14 January 1966: 'Half-Hour Battle at Lubang Buaya'
Angkatan Bersendjata, 14 Jan 1966. Feature from Soetiman's 17 Dec 1965 statement: Gerwani and Pemuda Rakyat 'warmly welcomed' Yani's body and fought a half-hour battle on 2 October. Gerwani militarised but no mutilation or sexual element yet.
Subandrio asks China for 'mutual respect'
Gereformeerd Gezinsblad roundup (8 Feb 1966, p.3) of Indonesia-China tension (Subandrio, student protest at Chinese embassy) and Indonesian-Japanese trade talks. One paragraph reports that communist Suradijo, shot while escaping, had tortured General Parman with a bamboo spear 'in front of a group of screaming women an
Hungarian press, Feb 1966: Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito
Hungarian daily Kelet-Magyarország, 15 Feb 1966 (snippet only). Notes at the start of Njono's trial that he is a member of the Party's Central Committee and that Mrs Sunito is his defence counsel. The catalogue identifies her as Trees Sunito; that is uncertain and no Gerwani link is stated.
Hungarian press, Feb 1966: Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito
Hungarian county daily Szolnok Megyei Neplap, 15 Feb 1966; the search snippet from a report on the first Jakarta coup trial says the defendant, a member of the party's Central Committee (Njono), is defended by Mrs Sunito (Trees Sunito). Only a snippet was retrieved.
Swiss press, 15 Feb 1966: PKI leader Njono on trial in Jakarta (defence counsel Trees Soenito)
La Suisse, 15 Feb 1966, UPI/AFP wire from Singapore on the opening of the first coup trial in Jakarta. Defendant Njono, PKI Central Committee member, denies plotting against Sukarno. His only lawyer is Mrs Trees Soenito, aged 50, daughter of a former Dutch official in Indonesia and wife of a left-wing Indonesian leader
Hungarian press, Feb 1966: Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito
Hungarian daily Somogyi Néplap, 20 Feb 1966 (snippet only). Reports from the trial of Njono, noting that after Njono spoke in his own defence, his counsel Mrs Sunito argued a point (cut off). The catalogue identifies her as Trees Sunito; that is uncertain and no Gerwani link is stated.
Indonesian Plot: Tribunal Verdict on Njono Due Today (Canberra Times, 21 February 1966)
Canberra Times, 21 Feb 1966, p. 6 (AAP-Reuter): the military tribunal trying PKI leader Njono is due to give its verdict; prosecution demanded death. His government-appointed woman lawyer, Mrs Trees Sunito, had 32 hours to prepare. Foreign press barred; Chinese agency criticism of the trial noted. Gerwani not named.
Indonesian Plot: Tribunal Verdict on Njono Due Today (Canberra Times, 21 February 1966), duplicate
Canberra Times, 21 Feb 1966, p. 6 (AAP-Reuter): the military tribunal trying PKI leader Njono is due to give its verdict; prosecution demanded death. His government-appointed woman lawyer, Mrs Trees Sunito, had 32 hours to prepare. Foreign press barred; Chinese agency criticism of the trial noted. Gerwani not named.
Hungarian press, Feb 1966: Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito
Hungarian county daily Heves Megyei Nepujsag, 22 Feb 1966; the search snippet from a report on Njono's death sentence says the charges are groundless and Njono innocent, and that Mrs Sunito, his defence counsel, (submitted) a clemency petition. Only a snippet was retrieved.
Hungarian press, Feb 1966: Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito
Hungarian regional daily Dunantuli Naplo, 23 Feb 1966; the search snippet from a report on the Njono trial says the correspondent also reported that Mrs Sunito, Njono's defence lawyer, (filed) a clemency petition. Only a snippet was retrieved.
Berliner Zeitung, 24 Feb 1966: Charge Untenable (Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito)
Page 5 of the East Berlin Berliner Zeitung, 24 Feb 1966, with a short article 'Anklage unhaltbar' and an ADN item on the Jakarta military trial of PKI Politburo member Njono, sentenced to death on 21 Feb. It says he pleaded not guilty and sought clemency from Sukarno, and that his defence counsel, Frau Sunito (Trees Su
Berliner Zeitung, 24 Feb 1966: Charge Untenable (Njono trial, defence counsel Mrs Sunito)
Page 5 of the East Berlin Berliner Zeitung, 24 Feb 1966, with a short article 'Anklage unhaltbar' and an ADN item on the Jakarta military trial of PKI Politburo member Njono, sentenced to death on 21 Feb. It says he pleaded not guilty and sought clemency from Sukarno, and that his defence counsel, Frau Sunito (Trees Su
Neues Deutschland, 24 Feb 1966: Njono firmly defended the Communist Party
Page 7 of the SED daily Neues Deutschland, 24 Feb 1966, with a commentary and an ADN dispatch on the death sentence passed on PKI Politburo member Njono on 21 Feb. The dispatch says his defence counsel, Frau Sunito (Trees Sunito), also showed the accusations to be groundless. The commentary condemns the killings of Com
Neues Deutschland, 24 Feb 1966: Njono firmly defended the Communist Party
Page 7 of the SED daily Neues Deutschland, 24 Feb 1966, with a commentary and an ADN dispatch on the death sentence passed on PKI Politburo member Njono on 21 Feb. The dispatch says his defence counsel, Frau Sunito (Trees Sunito), also showed the accusations to be groundless. The commentary condemns the killings of Com
Berita Yudha, 25 February 1966
Berita Yudha, 25 Februari 1966. Reports of the Mahmillub trial sessions of Lt. Col. Untung with two Gerwani items; Sukarno warns he will not be 'dongkel'-ed amid KAMI blockades.
Fighting in Jakarta: students storm Sukarno's palace
De Nieuwe Limburger, 25 Feb 1966: students storm Sukarno's palace after the swearing-in of the new cabinet; Sukarno calls them 'madmen' and the cabinet is derided as a 'Gestapu cabinet'. A photo caption notes that KOWANI members also joined the mass gathering at the palace. Gerwani is not named.
Students try to prevent swearing-in: trial of Untung begun
Gereformeerd Gezinsblad wire item (25 Feb 1966, p.1) on the opening of Colonel Untung's trial in Jakarta for treason and armed rebellion. The prosecutor claimed Untung gathered 5,000 people before the coup, including Tjakrabirawa troops, paratroops and 2,000 members of the PKI and its linked women's organisation Gerwan
US Embassy English text of an Angkatan Bersendjata article (April 1966) presenting the 30 September Movement as a coup 'engineered in Peking', with invented meetings between Aidit and Mao. Example of Army anti-China propaganda (later shown to derive from a Hong Kong satire).
Subandrio Speech at International Women's Day Meeting (FBIS, 8 Mar 1966)
FBIS item (Jakarta radio, 8 Mar 1966): Subandrio's speech at the International Women's Day rally in Senayan, sponsored by the National Front and Kowani. He denied that Indonesia had veered right, urged solidarity with progressive states and Nasakom, and said women played an important role. Gerwani is not named.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 12 March 1966 (Supersemar Edition)
Angkatan Bersendjata, 12 Mar 1966, the Supersemar issue, with Sukarno's 8 March International Women's Day address, Muslimat NU's Mahmudah Mawardi demanding a PKI ban 'because women feel the effects', and the decree dissolving the PKI.
Coup atmosphere in Jakarta: Subandrio under arrest
Leeuwarder Courant, 18 March 1966, p. 1: report on Suharto's army placing Foreign Minister Subandrio, twelve other ministers and Saleh in 'protective custody' after the 11 March order, with tanks aimed at the Merdeka palace, Adam Malik made acting foreign minister, and student demonstrations. Suharto cites trial testim
Sukarno and Subandrio under guard: Indonesian army quietly completes grab for power
Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 19 March 1966, p. 1: report on Suharto's 'quiet 12-hour coup' that purged Sukarno's cabinet and arrested 15 ministers including Subandrio. A photo caption says Indonesian women loudly cheered the new regime at a Jakarta mass meeting. Gerwani is not mentioned.
Night Walk of the Ghosts (Canberra Times, 14 April 1966)
Canberra Times, 14 Apr 1966, p. 2: first part of an anonymous Jakarta writer's anti-PKI reconstruction of 30 Sep-1 Oct 1965, casting Aidit and Untung as plotters and describing the murder of generals, with young Communist 'gangs of youths and girls' trained in camps. Gerwani not named; story continues next day. Cold Wa
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
Thai Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee communique condemns Indonesian military killings and arrests
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao (19 Apr 1966, p. 4) of a 13 April communiqué by the Thai Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Committee condemning Indonesia's military and 'reactionaries': 78,500 killed and 106,000 arrested per the Fact-Finding Commission in Bali, Java and North Sumatra; bans on Pemuda Rakyat, CGMI, Gerwani, B
Atrocities: account of the generals' killing and alleged Gerwani role
De Tijd article "Gruwelen" (23 Apr 1966) recounting the 1 Oct 1965 killings of the generals, claiming a hundred Gerwani women at Halim took part in torturing them with knives and razor blades after "training" including sexual orgies and blood oaths, citing a 15-year-old "Miss Djamilah" and the Djakarta Mail of 5 Nov. A