Gerwani Archive
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GA-02803 1963 M. L. Huber rel C licensed

INDONESIA - a new state with an ancient civilization (M. L. Huber)

Indonesia: a new state with an ancient civilization (M. L. Huber, 1963)

Travel essay by M. L. Huber in Women of the Whole World, 1963, on a car journey from Jakarta toward East Java and Bandung, with a sweeping history of Indonesian civilisation, colonialism, the Round Table agreement and 1957 nationalisations, in a pro-Sukarno-era socialist-bloc framing. Gerwani is not mentioned.

GA-01537 1966-10-29 The Scotsman rel C licensed

Not the old Subandrio (The Scotsman, 29 Oktober 1966)

Not the old Subandrio (The Scotsman, 29 October 1966)

The Scotsman, 29 Oct 1966, 'Not the old Subandrio': profile of Sukarno's former foreign minister, condemned to death by a military tribunal for treason and bearing 'heavy responsibility for the rise of the PKI'. It traces his career and notes he is a scapegoat the Suharto regime can blame while Sukarno is retained for

GA-02550 1968-03-04 rel A licensed

FBIS Daily Report, 29 Mar 1968: Arrest of Mrs Suharti Suwarto, Gerwani deputy chairman, and husband Subarto

Arrest of Suharti Suwarto, Gerwani Deputy Chairman, and Husband Subarto (FBIS, 29 Mar 1968)

HathiTrust FBIS Daily Report extract (29 Mar 1968). It reports the arrest on 22-23 March of Mrs Suharti Suwarto, called Gerwani deputy chairman and head of the PKI women's division, and her husband Subarto, alleged to have posed as a religious teacher among Muslims. It places them in 'Operation Kalong', with about 300

GA-01499 1968-10-27 New York Times rel B licensed

Sukarno's Role: An Exile at Home (New York Times, 27 Oktober 1968)

Sukarno's role: an exile at home (New York Times, 27 October 1968)

New York Times, 27 Oct 1968, p.5, Terence Smith from Jakarta: Sukarno lives under house arrest at Bogor and was interrogated in Sept-Oct 1968 about clandestine contacts with former associates, after Communists captured in the Blitar operations (2,000 killed or captured, including PKI chairman Oloan Hutapea) implicated

GA-02901 1974 rel C licensed

Social Conditions Leading to Military Dominance: The Case of Indonesia

Social Conditions Leading to Military Dominance: the case of Indonesia (Kahane, 1974)

Journal article by Reuven Kahane (Contributions to Asian Studies, vol. 5, 1974) giving a structural-sociological explanation of the 1965 coup and army dominance in Indonesia: religious-class polarisation, failing Sukarno-era control mechanisms, and the army's rise. Gerwani appears only in a footnote listing PKI-affilia

GA-02939 1976 rel A licensed

The 1965 Coup in Indonesia: The CIA's Version

The 1965 Coup in Indonesia: The CIA's Version (van der Kroef, 1976)

Critical review by Justus M. van der Kroef (Asian Affairs, Nov 1976) of the CIA's declassified 1968 report 'Indonesia-1965: The Coup That Backfired'. Takes issue with the CIA's claim that Lubang Buaya victims were not mutilated and that Gerwani/Pemuda Rakyat confessions were Army-contrived, quoting Gerwani member Djami

GA-02900 1979 rel C licensed

The 30 September Movement: A Political Movement of the Armed Forces or an Intelligence Operation?

The 30 September Movement: a political movement of the armed forces or an intelligence operation? (Holtzappel, 1979)

Journal article by Coen Holtzappel (Journal of Contemporary Asia, 1979) analysing the Untung and Njono trial records to argue the 30 September Movement was steered by Air Force and Army intelligence, with Sjam's Pringgodani group deliberately compromising the PKI and Aidit. Gerwani is mentioned only once, in a footnote

GA-02559 1980 rel B licensed

FCO 15/2701 - Indonesia: Political Detainees in Indonesia (Folder 13, 1980)

FCO 15/2701: Political Detainees in Indonesia (1980)

British FCO file FCO 15/2701 (1980), 'Political detainees in Indonesia': Amnesty International's April 1980 letter and memorandum to the UK government before the IGGI meeting, on release of B-category prisoners, restrictions on ex-detainees, missing persons and unfair A-category trials, plus TAPOL Bulletin extracts (No

GA-01523 1990-09-08 The Guardian rel B licensed

The black hole of Bali (The Guardian, 8 September 1990)

The Guardian (Weekend Guardian), 8 Sept 1990, p.A4, John Gittings, 'The black hole of Bali': long feature on the 1965 massacre (250,000 or more killed), how the killings were organised by the army under Suharto, the Aidit/PKI role, the US list of communists (Martens/Kadane) and US encouragement, survivors ('Tapols') an

GA-03059 1992 rel C licensed

The Destruction of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI): A Comparative Analysis of East Java and Bali (PhD Harvard, 1992)

Destruction of the Indonesian Communist Party: East Java and Bali compared (Sudjatmiko, 1992)

Iwan Gardono Sudjatmiko's 1992 Harvard sociology PhD thesis compares East Java and Bali to explain the PKI's destruction after 1965, arguing that it followed from the party's 1963 revolutionary strategy and that violence depended on public figures, army units and PKI size. It covers mobilisation, land reform and local

GA-03060 1997 rel B licensed

The Forgotten Years: The Missing History of Indonesia's Mass Slaughter, Jombang-Kediri 1965-1966 (PhD Arizona State, 1997)

The Forgotten Years: Mass Slaughter in Jombang-Kediri 1965-1966 (Sulistyo, 1997)

Hermawan Sulistyo's 1997 Arizona State history PhD, 'The Forgotten Years', studies the 1965-66 killings in Jombang-Kediri, East Java, from interviews and documents, finding no single national pattern and stressing local conflict and military-backed operations. Gerwani appears in passing: its claimed 1.75 million member

GA-01514 1998-09-27 South China Sunday Morning Post rel B licensed

Rethink on Suharto role in coup (South China Sunday Morning Post, 27 September 1998)

South China Sunday Morning Post, 27 Sep 1998, p.8, Jenny Grant: after Suharto's fall, historians and politicians call for a reassessment of the 1965 coup and killings; the government has dropped compulsory screening of the New Order propaganda film. The article repeats that members of 'the communist women's organisatio

GA-01512 1999-07-17 South China Morning Post rel B licensed

Killing off the communists (South China Morning Post, 17 Juli 1999)

Killing off the communists (South China Morning Post, 17 July 1999)

South China Morning Post, 17 July 1999, p.37, Marian Wilkinson (Sydney Morning Herald), 'Killing off the communists': newly released US embassy and CIA cables show US officials encouraging the army's anti-PKI campaign in Oct-Nov 1965, urging anti-PKI propaganda that links 'diabolical murder and mutilation of the genera

GA-02910 2009 rel B licensed

Confronting the Past in Contemporary Indonesia: The Anticommunist Killings of 1965-66 and the Role of the Nahdlatul Ulama (McGregor, 2009)

Confronting the Past: the anticommunist killings of 1965-66 and the role of Nahdlatul Ulama (McGregor, 2009)

Katharine McGregor's 2009 article on NU's support for the 1965-66 killings (e.g. its 5 Oct 1965 call to ban the PKI, Gerwani and others), their celebration under the New Order and Syarikat's post-1998 reconciliation work. Context on religious-organisation role.

GA-02245 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

AM: "Kami Tidak Pernah Mengubur..."

Tempo, 1 October 2012: AM - 'We never buried them...' (Ansor member's testimony)

Tempo testimony (1 Oct 2012) of 'AM', 70, a former Ansor/Banser member who took part in night-time 'drop-dropan' killings of village-level PKI leaders in Badas and Pare (Jombang-Kediri), Oct-Nov 1965. He says he felt no pity and left bodies unburied, justifying his hatred by PKI land reform actions. Gerwani is not ment

GA-02251 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

Chambali: "Orang Itu Lancar Mengucap Syahadat..."

Tempo, 1 October 2012: Chambali - 'He recited the creed fluently...'

Tempo testimony (1 Oct 2012) of Chambali, 70, former Banser chief of Rengel, Tuban, who describes beheading PKI members at Jurang Watu Rongko in 1965-66 on lists from the district office and military, encouraged by NU leader Kiai Murtadji. Recalls sparing one man who recited the creed. Tempo adds a note on the ravine's

GA-02258 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

Jagal-jagal di Ladang Pembantaian (Kediri dan Probolinggo)

Tempo, 1 October 2012: Butchers in the killing fields (Kediri and Probolinggo)

Long Tempo feature (1 Oct 2012) on Kediri and Probolinggo killings: Ansor/Banser, Lirboyo santri led by Gus Maksum and army units, from the 13 Oct 1965 rally and the burning of the PKI office, using 'drop' trucks from Koramil, with the Kanigoro (Jan 1965) background. Testimony of Abdul Malik and Haji SY. Gerwani is not

GA-02264 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

Kiamat Akibat Dendam Kesumat (Pembantaian di Banyuwangi)

Tempo, 1 October 2012: Doomsday born of grudges (Banyuwangi massacre)

Tempo report (1 Oct 2012) on Banyuwangi: the 'Gagak Hitam' force of NU/PNI members hunted communists after 62 Ansor were killed at Cemethuk (commemorated at the Pancasila Jaya monument, called Lubang Buaya Cemethuk). Testimony of Baidawi and ex-Lekra secretary Andang Chatif Yusuf; bodies thrown into Jurang Tangis. Gerw

GA-02268 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

Pendekar Tulungagung dalam Pasungan

Tempo, 1 October 2012: The Tulungagung fighter in shackles

Tempo profile (1 Oct 2012) of Supardi, 71, a Tulungagung silat fighter recruited by Ansor as an executioner in 1965, who later developed a mental disorder and has been shackled by his family for about 30 years. Account from his brother Marjuni and sister. Gerwani is not mentioned.

GA-02270 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

Pusara di Atas Sumur (Lumajang dan Magetan)

Tempo, 1 October 2012: Graves above wells (Lumajang and Magetan)

Tempo report (1 Oct 2012) on killing sites in Lumajang (Pandanwangi, Curah Mayit, Srebet) and Magetan (Puhrancang well, Gangsiran forest), with testimony from Ansor/Banser participants and villagers. Notes NU leaders called it jihad, army backing, and that many victims were not PKI. Gerwani is not mentioned.

GA-02274 2012-10-01 Tempo rel C licensed

Setelah 'Tuhan Mati' di Mlancu

Tempo, 1 October 2012: After 'God died' at Mlancu

Tempo report (1 Oct 2012) on the Mlancu massacre (Kediri-Jombang border), where about 700 alleged PKI were killed in November 1965, drawing on Hermawan Sulistyo's research and witnesses. Presents PKI land reform, ludruk plays and 'Seven Village Demons' lists as roots of tension with kiai and NU/Ansor. Mentions the Peng

GA-02974 2013 rel A licensed

The Dance That Makes You Vanish: Cultural Reconstruction in Post-Genocide Indonesia (Larasati, introduction and ch. 2, 2013)

The Dance That Makes You Vanish: Cultural Reconstruction in Post-Genocide Indonesia (Larasati, 2013)

Rachmi Larasati's 2013 introduction and chapter on how the New Order erased the dancing bodies of women labelled 'Gerwani' after 1965 and replaced them with state-trained 'clean' dancers performing the same traditions as national heritage. Autoethnographic study of dance and genocide.

GA-03058 2015 rel C licensed

Ripples, Echoes, and Reverberations: 1965 and Now in Indonesia (PhD Berkeley, 2015)

Ripples, Echoes, and Reverberations: 1965 and Now in Indonesia (Stroud, 2015)

Martha Stroud's 2015 UC Berkeley/UCSF medical-anthropology dissertation, based on fieldwork in Yogyakarta (2010-12), examines how the 1965-66 killings shape daily life through propaganda, surveillance, stigma, silence and justice. Gerwani appears mainly as the object of New Order propaganda: the Lubang Buaya mutilation

GA-02278 2015-10-02 Tempo rel A licensed

Kisah Macan Podium Gerwani PKI yang Lupa Bulan September

Tempo.co, 2 October 2015: Putmainah, the Gerwani-PKI podium lioness who forgot September

Tempo.co profile (2 Oct 2015, by Bobby Chandra) of Putmainah, 77, former Gerwani chair and PKI faction member of the Blitar DPRD, now stroke-afflicted in Pakisrejo, Srengat. Her husband Subandi, Blitar Front Nasional and DPRD head, was killed after a PKI congress; she fled into the forest with seven children. Once a re

GA-02282 2016-05-25 Tempo rel A licensed

Bekas Ketua Gerwani Meninggal Dunia, Pelayat Diawasi Petugas Intelejen

Tempo.co, 25 May 2016: Former Gerwani chair dies; mourners watched by intelligence officers

Tempo.co obituary (25 May 2016, Abdul Djalil Hakim) of Putmainah, 90, former Blitar Gerwani chair and DPRD-GR member for the PKI faction, called the last Gerwani branch head. It covers her family background (father a Red Sarekat Islam leader killed at Madiun 1948), ties to Sukarno's family, and mourners including a Ban

GA-02898 2020 rel B licensed

From Indonesia with Love: Friendships between Political Prisoners and their Pen Pals (Hearman, 2020)

From Indonesia with Love: Political Prisoners and their Pen Pals (Hearman, 2020)

Hearman's 2020 article reconstructing the 1982-92 letters between ex-Gerwani militant Pudji Aswati, imprisoned for subversion, and English Quaker author Patricia Cleveland-Peck, showing how befriending became a transnational activist network. Rare transnational Gerwani prisoner correspondence.