Abadi, 1 March 1952, p. 2: International Women's Day Committee in Palembang
Abadi, 1 Mar 1952, p. 2: Palembang women's organisations form a committee for International Women's Day chaired by Rochani Mailan of Gerwis; also reports of Krawang mothers selling children for rice.
S.K. Trimurti: Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani conference) (Harian Rakjat, 13 March 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 13 Mar 1952, p.3: article by S.K. Trimurti on the Kongres Wanita Indonesia (Kowani) conference due from 15 March in Jakarta. She urges unity among all women's organisations (naming Perwari, Muslimat, Wanita Demokrat, Gerwis), voting by consensus, and action on women's unemployment, prices and labour. The
Gerwis and the coming cabinet
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1953-06-16, p. 2): Gerwis issues a statement on cabinet formation urging a government that withdraws measures harming women and the people, with a programme of protection for working and pregnant women, anti-unemployment measures, more education budget, price control, farm tools, ending region
Gerwani East Java conference ends with reception and performance
De Vrije Pers note (31 Aug 1954) on the Gerwani East Java conference, which ended with a reception and artistic performance at the Stadstuin in Surabaya. Topics discussed included the draft marriage law, the multi-wife pension regulation, the elections, food prices and pornographic reading matter and films.
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
Api Kartini No. 7, Year 1, December 1959
Seventh issue of Api Kartini (Dec 1959), centred on Hari Ibu (22 December). Includes an article on the peace movement against nuclear testing, S. Djin's report on the November 1959 Latin American women's congress in Santiago, and an interview on food and clothing supply.
Api Kartini No. 1, Year 2, January 1960
First issue of Api Kartini's second year (Jan 1960). Editorial on price rises after the currency sanering and ministers refusing housewives' delegations; a profile of WIDF leaders (Carmen Zanti, Eugenie Cotton) ahead of the WIDF Bureau meeting in Indonesia.
Weekly Situation Reports, Indonesia, January 1960 (State Department Central Files)
Compilation of Djakarta embassy weekly political, economic and military situation telegrams to the State Department, January 1960. One item (21 Jan) reports labour union and women representatives picketing the Trade Minister's office over prices despite an army ban, with a newspaper identifying many women as members of
Gerwani Programme (Fourth Congress), 1961
DPP Gerwani booklet with the 33-point Program Perdjuangan ratified at the Fourth Congress (Jakarta, December 1961), revising the 1957 Solo program. Keeps demands for women village heads, a democratic marriage law and price control; claims over one million members and sets three slogans.
Communism and the PKI, Despatch of January 1961
US embassy Djakarta despatch compilation (Jan 1961) analysing communism and the PKI, including its front organisations. The overview describes Gerwani as the communist women's organisation used for price and anti-bomb demonstrations, affiliated with the WIDF (which funds trips abroad for prominent members), and contras
General Mobilisation (Api Kartini, 1962)
Api Kartini (early 1962) editorial 'General Mobilisation' on the Irian Barat campaign after Sukarno's Trikora. Quotes Hurustiati Subandrio's radio appeal for all Indonesians, men and women, to mobilise and fight rice shortages; describes volunteer registration, women students' military training, and Dutch brutality (ev
Raising the Role and Dignity of Communist Women: Suharti's Speech at the PKI Seventh Congress, 1962
Speech by Suharti (Suwarto) at the PKI Seventh (Extraordinary) Congress, 1962, with a supplementary report on the woman question and party work among women: price rises, rice shortages, price-reduction actions and women's mobilisation.
Communists in Indonesia: isolated position despite five million followers
Algemeen Handelsblad analysis by a contributor (1963-06-01) on the PKI's isolated position despite about five million followers. It credits the PKI with 1 million members plus 1.5 million in 'the communist women's organisation Gerwani', and discusses food prices, the lifting of the state of siege, SOKSI's rise and West
Sinar Harapan, 19 Jul 1963: women's delegation received by Juanda on soaring prices
Front page of Sinar Harapan, 19 Jul 1963. A women's delegation including Ny. M. Siwi (Gerwani) and Ny. Coa Hin Huy (Wanita Baperki) was received by First Minister Juanda and voiced mothers' anxiety over soaring prices of daily necessities. Another item covers the row at a WIDF (GWDS) session, with the Chinese delegatio
Aust. delegate sees Indonesia
Tribune (Sydney), 2 Sep 1964, p. 9: Enid Hampson reports on the 10th Congress of Indonesian women's organisations (WANITA, 40 organisations) in Jakarta, 24 July 1964, opened before 9,000 women; Mrs Subandrio gave the main report. Sukarno urged women to a bigger role, food and Malaysia were main themes; also land reform
Aust. delegate sees Indonesia
Tribune (Sydney), 2 Sep 1964, p. 9: Enid Hampson reports on the 10th Congress of Indonesian women's organisations (WANITA, 40 organisations) in Jakarta, 24 July 1964, opened before 9,000 women; Mrs Subandrio gave the main report. Sukarno urged women to a bigger role, food and Malaysia were main themes; also land reform
Sukarno rejects demand for ban on Sukarnoism (South China Morning Post, 14 December 1964)
South China Morning Post, 14 Dec 1964, p.28 (Jakarta, 13 Dec; fragmentary OCR): Sukarno rejects a demand to ban 'Sukarnoism', and the item notes that Antara reported hundreds of members of Gerwani, 'the Communist women's organisation', demonstrated outside government offices in Medan the previous Wednesday with signs d
Straits Times, 14 Dec 1964: communist women's organisation demonstrates in Medan
Straits Times, 14 Dec 1964 (lead only). A communist women's organisation, Gerwani, held a demonstration against the government in Medan, North Sumatra, the previous Wednesday, urging lower prices of common goods; Antara reported 'hundreds' of members took part.
Housewives Are Upset (News-Mail, 31 December 1964)
News-Mail (Bundaberg), 31 December 1964, p. 1, AAP-Reuter report that about 500 Indonesian housewives, including Foreign Minister Subandrio's wife, demonstrated in Jakarta against rising prices outside the Second Deputy Prime Minister's office, shouting 'down with prices' and 'hang corruptors'. The demonstration was or
Prisoners Tell of Indonesian Plan (Canberra Times, 31 December 1964)
Canberra Times, 31 Dec 1964, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): two captured Indonesian soldiers claim Indonesia is forming a Malayan government and army in exile in Sumatra during Konfrontasi. Final paragraphs report about 500 housewives, led by Mrs Subandrio of the Indonesian Women's Congress, protesting prices in Jakarta. Gerwani n
Claim of landing by Malaysians
Toowoomba Chronicle, 31 Dec 1964, p. 1 (AAP-Reuters): Sukarno claims Indonesian police arrested two groups of armed Malaysian infiltrators and says 'Malaysia does not exist'. Second item: about 500 housewives, including Mrs Subandrio, protest rising prices in Jakarta in a demonstration organised by the Indonesian Women
Protest in Jakarta against high prices
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
Short and small (women's price demonstration)
'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.
Short and small (women's price demonstration, duplicate)
'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.
Harian Neraca serial 'Siapa menabur angin akan menuai badai' (55): 21 September 1965 women's price demonstration
Harian Neraca, 6 Mar 1989, p. 10: instalment 55 on September 1965, recounting the women's price demonstration at the Trade Ministry on 21 Sept 1965 led by Gerwani under Ny. Sukoni and recasting public kitchens as coup preparation.
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