CIA information report, 19 July 1949: Dunia Wanita
CIA information report, 19 July 1949, saying Ani Idrus, labelled a pro-Republican Communist from Medan, would publish the fortnightly Dunia Wanita. Early sign of US intelligence watching women's press; the Communist label is probably a misclassification.
'Peace' demonstration in Medan
De Locomotief, 14 Aug 1950 (Aneta): about 5,000 attend a Medan peace-committee rally, mainly plantation, peasant and pedicab unions, with anti-American banners. Speakers include Tuti Rukmi for 'Indonesian women'. The resolution urges Indonesia not to join the 'imperialist war' in Korea and calls for a ban on atomic wea
American upbringing: violence as strength, sadism as normal feeling
De Waarheid, 19 Jul 1951, p. 5: editorial feature mocking US upbringing, drawing on a Saturday Evening Post painting of boys playing gunfights and a New York Times television study, and linking American media to atrocities in Korea as reported by the WIDF commission in which Trees Sunito-Heyligers took part. Cold War p
US State Dept. report IR-6165, January 1953: Communism in the Free World - Indonesia section on Gerwis
US State Department Office of Intelligence Research report IR-6165, 'Communism in the Free World' (January 1953), a compilation of about 30 country studies of communist capabilities, held in the CIA reading room. The Indonesia study (IR-6165.3) covers PKI aims and tactics, labour, and front organisations. Section VI.A
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
Letters to the Editor: SEATO's aim
Tribune (Sydney), 13 Oct 1954, p. 11: letters page covering SEATO, Eisenhower, Pakistan, housing and criticisms of Tribune. One letter claims Indonesia, India, Ceylon and Burma's abstention from SEATO shows Asian peoples want peace and independence; another praises the Union of Australian Women journal 'Our Women'. No
Foster Dulles arrived in Jakarta
Java-Bode, 12 March 1956, p. 1: report on US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles's arrival at Kemajoran airport, Jakarta. Demonstrators shouted 'Abolish SEATO' and a 25-year-old woman, Samsia, a member of Gerwani (called communist-minded), threw a red pamphlet into his car and was detained by police.
Demonstration (against Dulles)
Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 12 March 1956: short item on the Jakarta airport demonstration against Dulles, where about two dozen Indonesians shouted 'Abolish SEATO' and a young woman of the left-leaning Gerwani threw a paper at his car and was detained.
Dulles on Trip to Indonesia (Toowoomba Chronicle, 13 March 1956)
Toowoomba Chronicle, 13 Mar 1956, p. 3 (AAP-Reuters): US Secretary of State Dulles visits Jakarta after the SEATO conference; demonstrators shout 'Abolish SEATO' and 'We want peace, not war'. A young girl arrested for throwing a pamphlet says she is a Gerwani member; Gerwani had earlier protested the visit.
Dulles on Trip to Indonesia (Toowoomba Chronicle, 13 March 1956), duplicate
Toowoomba Chronicle, 13 Mar 1956, p. 3 (AAP-Reuters): US Secretary of State Dulles visits Jakarta after the SEATO conference; demonstrators shout 'Abolish SEATO' and 'We want peace, not war'. A young girl arrested for throwing a pamphlet says she is a Gerwani member; Gerwani had earlier protested the visit.
Dulles in Djakarta: 'Our joint effort will one day lead to a better world'
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1956-03-13, p. 1): US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles arrives in Jakarta; a score of demonstrators shout 'Hapuskan SEATO'. A 25-year-old woman, Samsia, a member of Gerwani ('a communist-minded women's organisation'), threw a red anti-SEATO pamphlet into his car and was arrested for quest
Economic aid offered to Indonesia (Dulles in Jakarta)
Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant, 13 March 1956: report on US Secretary of State Dulles's visit to Jakarta, where about two dozen demonstrators shouted 'Abolish SEATO' and a young woman of the left-leaning Gerwani threw a paper at his car and was detained for questioning. Dulles also met Sukarno, discussed New Guinea and off
High Commissioner absent at Dulles's arrival
Nieuwsblad van het Zuiden, 13 March 1956: report on Dulles's arrival in Jakarta (no Dutch high commissioner present), his statement, and an airport incident in which a young Gerwani woman threw a paper at his car and was detained. Also Sukarno's accepted invitation to the US and discussion of New Guinea and economic ai
Dulles in Indonesia: America offers Jakarta economic aid
Nijmeegsch Dagblad (13 Mar 1956) on John Foster Dulles's brief Jakarta visit and offer of economic aid. A young woman belonging to Gerwani, among about two dozen demonstrators shouting 'Abolish SEATO', threw a piece of paper at his car and was detained for questioning.
CIA directories, February 1957: International communist-front organizations (WIDF section)
CIA compilation of reference data (February 1957, data to 1 October 1956) on international communist-front organisations and friendship societies, including the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). The WIDF directory lists headquarters, publications, executive officers and national affiliates. Under Indo
Gerwani DPP (650,000 members): dissolve SEATO (Bintang Timur, 24 March 1958)
Bintang Timur, 24 March 1958, p. 1 (during the PRRI rebellion). Front-page statement of the Gerwani national leadership (DPP), said to represent 650,000 members, condemning US and SEATO intervention and the US Seventh Fleet's movements, and demanding that SEATO be dissolved ('Bubarkan SEATO'), in an open letter. Same p
Gerwani DPP protests to the US and Taiwan governments (Bintang Timur, 6 May 1958)
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
CIA, The Indonesian Situation, report 61, 14 November 1965
CIA 'Indonesian Situation' report no. 61, 14 November 1965: continuing anti-communist action and mass killings, Aidit's presumed whereabouts, and 1,000 women demonstrating in Jakarta for permanent dissolution of the PKI women's auxiliary. Records an early anti-Gerwani mobilisation.
Telegram 509, US Consulate Medan, June 1965
US Consulate Medan telegram 509, 7-8 June 1965: the military used Dwikora authority to overrule the governor over banning the newspaper Tjahaja, called a clear Army win. Pre-coup Army-PKI rivalry in North Sumatra; no Gerwani content.
Telegram 542A to US Embassy Jakarta, 15 Sep 1965
US Embassy telegram, 15 Sep 1965: a Dutch missionary reports on West Irian, including detained missionaries and a Papuan rebellion. Pre-coup West Papua context; no Gerwani content.
Telegram 971 to Secretary of State, 12 Oct 1965
US Embassy telegram 971, 12 Oct 1965: a German embassy source says the Army is considering overthrowing Sukarno and signalling Western embassies; Sukarno refused to read PKI-complicity papers. High-politics context; no Gerwani content.
Telegram 779A to Secretary of State, 18 Oct 1965
US Embassy telegram 779A, 18 Oct 1965: Foreign Ministry aide Sutarto says anti-PKI action is spreading across Sumatra, Sulawesi and Central Java, targeting Subandrio. Early-aftermath political context; no Gerwani content.
Letter from CINCPAC to Marshall Green, 23 October 1965
Secret letter, 23 October 1965, from CINCPAC political adviser Norman Hannah to Ambassador Marshall Green asking for contingency thinking on US covert or material help if the Army fought the PKI. Shows early US planning for support to the anti-PKI campaign.
Airgram A-298: The Situation in Indonesia after the Coup Attempt, 23 Oct 1965
US Embassy airgram A-298, 23 Oct 1965, on 'political moderates' helping the Army destroy the PKI, based on talks with a civilian columnist urging organisations to cleanse themselves of 30 September supporters. Shows civilian momentum for the purge.
Telegram 1168 to Secretary of State, 23 Oct 1965
US Embassy telegram 1168, 23 Oct 1965: anti-communist unions demand dissolution of the PKI and SOBSI from Labour Minister Sutomo, who hesitates; Army liaison approached. Labour-front context; no Gerwani content.
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance, 25 October 1965: WIDF 20th anniversary, Gerwani and the 30 September Movement
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance, 25 Oct 1965, calendar and background on the 30 September coup. It notes WIDF's 20th anniversary (26 Nov), lists GERWANI among PKI women's fronts (p.21), and repeats that about 3,000 PKI youth and women's group cadres were trained at Halim air base in September, with Gerwani and Pemuda
Telegram 1290 to Department of State, 1 Nov 1965
US Embassy telegram 1290, 1 Nov 1965: labour attache's Palembang visit finds 600 communists jailed, SOBSI officials at Shell, Stanvac and PUSRI arrested, and concern for American oil staff. Context on arrests in the oil sector.
US Consulate Surabaya 'Joint Sitrep 11', 4 November 1965: clean-up raids continue, Blitar a main concern, and Basuki Rachmat's East Java tour sealing off PKI areas. Regional military context of the repression; Gerwani not specifically named.
Telegram 1425: Joint Situation Report no. 51, 12 Nov 1965
US Embassy Joint Situation Report no. 51, 12 Nov 1965: Army-Sukarno contest plus a security section on riots in Makassar, a massacre of 200 PKI prisoners in Bone and arrests in Jakarta. No Gerwani mention; shows how killings were framed as a 'security' item.
Telegram 1485 to Secretary of State, 18 Nov 1965
US Embassy telegram, 18 Nov 1965, commenting that the Action Committee to Crush the 30 September Movement (KAP-Gestapu) is a loose coordinating organ working with the Army. Political-structure context; no Gerwani content.