1958 WIDF note: Indonesian women write that the country faces rebellion backed by SEATO and the US (the PRRI/Permesta crisis), and that women join the struggle shoulder to shoulder with men. Gerwani sets up public kitchens, collects food and magazines for the front, runs first aid; in rebel-held West Sumatra its leader
Bintang Timur, 6 May 1958, p. 1 (after APRI's recapture of West Sumatran towns). Reports the Gerwani DPP's protest to the US and Taiwan governments over their intervention supporting Permesta/PRRI, demanding they stop interference, respect Indonesia's sovereignty and Asia-Africa, and appealing to American women to pres
Renmin Ribao, 5 Jun 1963, p. 3 (Xinhua): Gerwani's Central Council writes to the All-China Women's Federation, in the name of 1.5 million members, condemning the 'counter-revolutionary racist' riots against ethnic Chinese. The letter, signed by Mrs Kartini Kurdi, deputy secretary, links the riots to blocking the Econom
Renmin Ribao, 5 Jun 1963, p. 3 (Xinhua): Gerwani's Central Council writes to the All-China Women's Federation, in the name of 1.5 million members, condemning the 'counter-revolutionary racist' riots against ethnic Chinese. The letter, signed by Mrs Kartini Kurdi, deputy secretary, links the riots to blocking the Econom
Official history of the Indonesian youth movement (1908-1960) compiled by the Youth Bureau of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Balai Pustaka, Jakarta 1965 (prefaces dated Dec. 1963), in five periods. Gerwani appears only briefly: it is listed among organisations demanding action against the 1957-58 PRRI separatis
Berita Yudha, 24 November 1965. Antara: police and army officer at Harau (Payakumbuh), assisted by villagers, seize 38 Gerwani and 39 PKI members and 'green clothing' and an Aidit book.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 25 Feb 1966, during Untung's Mahmillub trial. A Padang anecdote mocks a PKI figure who called Gerwani 'Gargani' and Lekra 'Lecigak'; new Dwikora cabinet installed.
Berita Yudha, 7 Oktober 1966. KAWI (anti-communist women's action front) issues a four-point statement: Gerwani/PKI 'barbaric acts' do not stem from Indonesian women's character, the 'gerwani/pki mentality' must be eradicated, and West Sumatra should revoke a title.
Angkatan Bersendjata, 24 Februari 1968. Padang report: Kodim 0306 orders monthly head-shaving of all Gestapu/PKI category A, B and C members (at least 7,000) 'to foster awareness', 'except Gerwani members'.
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
FBIS item (Jakarta radio, 29 Jan 1975): military tribunals in Padang and Pekanbaru began trying six Gestapu-PKI and subversion defendants, all former junior officers or soldiers. Names, units and judges are listed. Gerwani and women are not mentioned; the people tag Umi Sardjono appears unrelated to the text.
FBIS item (AFP via Hong Kong, 22 Oct 1988): security forces accused Akhmad Syabrun Caropeboka, 56, former South Sumatra Golkar treasurer, of past links to the banned PKI, hiding past membership of a PKI-related organisation. Other Golkar officials were similarly accused that year. Gerwani is not named; the listed perso
Suraiya It's 2005 Temple University religion PhD dissertation on the Indonesian women's movement, with the Muhammadiyah women's section 'Aisyiyah as case study (Ch. 2 history from Kartini to the New Order; Ch. 3 religion and family law; Ch. 4-5 'Aisyiyah; Ch. 6 conclusion). Gerwani appears only in passing: Gerwis is li
Pohlman's 2013 article, from about 150 interviews, on women's stories of pregnancy, childbirth, raising, losing and aborting children during 1965-66 and detention, including cooperative childcare and a former Gerwani leader (Ibu Astuti). Gendered history of survival.
Edited volume (Palgrave 2018; McGregor, Melvin, Pohlman) arguing the 1965 violence was genocidal, covering causes (Aceh army documents, Bali, Pohlman on women's testimonies of sexual violence in West Sumatra) and legacies. Key scholarship on 1965 violence.
Journal article (2020) by Agustina and Fatimah, a biography of Zulbainar (b. 1939, West Sumatra), who joined Gerwani c. 1954, became treasurer of Gerwani Padang Pariaman, lost her husband to a mob in 1965 and was held 12 years without trial until 1977. Regional Gerwani life history.
Pohlman's chapter on the interrogation and torture centres ('devil's houses') in the army's 1965-70 detention system, opening with Sudjinah's account of capture with Sulami in Feb 1967 and torture at Gunung Sahari. Evidence from a handful of survivor testimonies.