1950 – 2000
Aneta report in De Vrije Pers (22 Apr 1950) that the East Indonesia cabinet decided to release all arrested persons in the Masamba, Kakas, Rembigen and Tondano affairs, including Mrs. Salawati Daud, while discussing armed band attacks in South Sulawesi and APRIS operations under Maj. Pieters and Col. Kawilarang.
Java-Bode, 22 Apr 1950, p. 2: the NIT cabinet decides to release those arrested over the Masamba, Kakas, Remboken and Tondano affairs, including Salawati Daud, while armed gangs attack posts in South Sulawesi; Major Pieters says APRIS will suppress them. Same text as the Indische Courant item.
Nieuwe Courant, 22 April 1950: the NIT cabinet, discussing the situation as APRA troops approach, decides to release all arrestees in the Masamba, Kakas, Rembigen and Tondano affairs, including Salawati Daud. A snippet on US senator Taft and Marshall Plan funds follows.
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (24 Apr 1950, p.1): the NIT cabinet, discussing the situation after APRIS troops arrived, decided to release all those arrested in the Masamba, Kakas, Rembigen and Tondano affairs, among them Mrs Salawati Daud. It also discussed armed bands outside APRIS in South Sulawesi.
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 29 Apr 1950, p. 1: the NIT cabinet decides to release all detainees from the Masamba, Kakas, Rembigen and Tondano affairs, including Salawati Daud, while armed gangs attack police posts and prisons in South Sulawesi; APRIS Major Pieters threatens military administration.
One-paragraph FBIS item (30 Oct 1950, citing ANTARA): Mrs Salawati Daud was released from prison on 29 Oct after ten days' confinement and at once called on the Interdepartmental Commission still in Makassar, which was to tour and then go to Menado on 4 Nov. Follows her arrest of 21 Oct.
Abadi, 24 Aug 1951, p. 3: Gerwis central board protests the August 1951 mass arrests that included Gerwis members (one named Parjani) and demands their release.
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad readers' page (1951-11-01, p. 3); mostly a letter about street lighting. A final news item says the Gerwis central board supports Tan Po Goan's parliamentary interpellation on the security action and demands release of all persons detained in the August 1951 raids.
Java-Bode, 27 Aug 1952, p. 2: Miss Sulami, secretary of the Surabaya committee for victims of the August raids, says something is wrong with the arrestees' release, blames the Sukiman-Wibisono policy and RTC, and says the raids were a general attack on the anti-imperialist people.
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1952-08-28, p. 2): at a Surabaya press conference the committee for victims of the August 1951 raids, with SOBSI, plans a 7 September mass demonstration outside the governor's and Brawijaya commander's residences demanding release of all arrestees. Committee secretary Miss Sulami blames the RT
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 1 Sep 1952, p. 1: the Surabaya Committee for Victims of the August Raids plans a mass demonstration on 7 Sept. Committee secretary Miss Sulami reports on meetings with PM Wilopo and the defence minister, blames the Sukiman-Wibisono policy and RTC, and notes 62 SOB detainees remain in Ea
De Waarheid, 6 Aug 1954, p. 3: report of congratulatory telegrams from Indonesia on Piet van Staveren's release from Dutch prison, including from SOBSI, SBPP, Pemuda Rakjat (200,000 members), Sarbupri and the World Federation of Trade Unions. A telegram signed GERWANI, from 'Indonesian women and mothers', thanks him fo
Angkatan Bersendjata, 11 Mar 1966 (Supersemar day). Regional column reports Pasaman husbands divorcing wives who are Gerwani, and release of 37 ex-detainees in Pati including six ex-Gerwani; PGRI petition to dissolve the PKI.
De Waarheid, 23 Jul 1966, p. 6: report that the WIDF Bureau, meeting in Berlin in June 1966, adopted an appeal for solidarity with Indonesian women and the progressive organisation Gerwani, demanding immediate release of arrested Gerwani members and leaders and restoration of legality for all Indonesian women's organis
Angkatan Bersendjata, 24 Oktober 1966. Report of PKI Politburo member Sakirman's arrest in Solo alleging a secret plan to mobilise ex-PKI/PR/Gerwani, especially released detainees.
Sinar Harapan, 24 Oktober 1966. Report on the arrest of PKI Politburo member Sakirman in Solo alleging a secret plan to remobilise ex-PKI/PR/Gerwani, especially released detainees.
Tubantia profile (25 Oct 1967) of Adam Malik on his visit to The Hague to meet Luns: Dutch plea for clemency for Subandrio, New Guinea, credit needs, his role against Sukarno. Notes that in 1965 Mrs Subandrio led a women's demonstration against Malik, then trade minister. Gerwani not named; context for Subandrio's wife
Harian Kami, 27 Oktober 1967. Antara brief from Pangkalpinang: wall newspapers by Pemuda Pancasila protest the release of category C detainees with slogans 'Ganyang PKI' and 'Ganyang Gerwani'; police did not intervene.
De Waarheid, 16 Jan 1968, p. 1: short item that the CPN branch in Vlaardingen sent a telegram to the Indonesian embassy in The Hague protesting persecution of democrats in Indonesia and demanding release of lawyer Trees Sunito-Heyligers, recently detained by the Jakarta regime, and other Indonesian freedom fighters.
Berliner Zeitung, 3 November 1968, p. 5. ADN/BZ brief 'Protest gegen Massaker': the IDFF (WIDF) telegraphed General Suharto its outrage at continuing massacres of Indonesian patriots and democrats, calling them a flagrant violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The same page's column 'Es geschah in dieser Woch
Neues Deutschland, 4 November 1968, p. 4: Paris/Berlin ADN/ND item "Weltorganisationen protestieren bei Suharto". The International Association of Democratic Lawyers condemns the murder of leading Indonesian communists (unnamed) and urges protests to save those facing death sentences. The WIDF (IDFF), in a telegram to
De Waarheid, 18 Aug 1970, p. 1: report that a dozen women demonstrated with sandwich boards in The Hague against Suharto's planned visit, carrying signs 'Freedom for the women of Gerwani' and 'Suharto unwanted', distributing the NVB letter and later protesting at the Indonesian embassy.
De Waarheid, 19 Aug 1970, p. 1: report that Rotterdam women demonstrated on the Lijnbaan and at the Beurs against General Suharto's state visit, with signs demanding release of political prisoners in Indonesia and especially members of Gerwani, handing out the NVB letter. Port workers also telegraphed Minister Luns.
Tempo article (online archive, dated 1972) on the political prisoner (tapol) problem: Archbishop Leo Soekoto urges society to help, Amnesty and the Red Cross press Jakarta, Buru resettlement of about 5,000 Group B prisoners is presented as the best option, and officials still see ex-PKI as a threat. No Gerwani content.
TAPOL Bulletin no. 7, October 1974. Covers the Indonesian Defence Department's attack on TAPOL, the Hariman Siregar trial, admissions on tapol forced labour, 'C' category releases and re-arrests, non-involvement certificates, civil-service purges (teachers and PLN staff dismissed) and plans for October Week in Britain.
TAPOL Bulletin no. 8, January 1975. Leads on Papuan mass killings and the Indonesian ban on the word 'tapol'; also Buru unrest and health conditions, the British Foreign Office meeting with religious leaders, non-involvement certificates, 'C' category releases, Hariman Siregar's six-year sentence and Carmel Budiardjo's
De Waarheid, 2 Jun 1975, p. 1: report that the NVB's Women's Action Day '75 sent a protest letter to the Suharto regime (copy to minister Pronk) demanding release of four Gerwani women: life imprisonment demanded against Sulami, secretary of Gerwani, and 20 years each against Sri Ambar Rukmijati, Sudjinah and Suharti H
ANP item in De Volkskrant (19 Jun 1975): the Dutch Women's Movement demanded immediate release of four Indonesian women, Sulami, Sri Ruhimirjati (probably Sri Ambar Rukmiati), Sudjinah and Suharti (surname garbled), for whom prosecutors sought 20 years to life after about seven years of detention, partly for collecting
Neues Deutschland, 8 August 1975, p. 2. Short ND item 'IDFF verlangt Freilassung von indonesischen Frauen': the WIDF (IDFF), with 120 organisations in 103 countries, wrote to the President of Indonesia (Suharto, not named in the text) appealing for release of the women sentenced in June 1975 and all women held for poli
TAPOL Bulletin no. 18, October 1976. Editorial 'Eleven Years' and reports on Sudomo's reneged release pledges, new arrests, IGGI's $2,400m credit, the death sentence on Sgt-Maj Marsudi for the generals' killings (with testimony that Lubang Buaya training was officially organised by the Air Force), an inside account of
Limburgsch Dagblad, 2 December 1976, p. 1: Jakarta announces release of 2,650 communist prisoners held since 1965 without trial, with a promise to free the remaining 29,000 within three years. At a ceremony 150 swore loyalty to Suharto; among them were students, former civil servants and members of the banned women's m
Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 2 December 1976: Reuter report that Indonesia released 2,650 prisoners held since 1965 without trial. At a ceremony 150 swore loyalty to Suharto, among them students, former civil servants and members of the banned leftist women's movement Gerwani; 29,000 remain, with a promise to free them
Nederlands Dagblad, 3 December 1976, p. 3: Jakarta announces release of 2,650 communist prisoners held since 1965 without trial, repeats the promise to free the remaining 29,000 within three years. At a ceremony 150 swore loyalty to Suharto; they included students, ex-civil servants and members of the banned women's mo
Tempo brief (11 Dec 1976) on release of another 2,500 G30S/PKI prisoners; all 540,000 Group C released, leaving 1,821 Group A, 27,132 Group B, 2,041 Group X. Sudomo says about 500,000 were killed 'but by the people'. Mentions 10 middle-aged women among 319 Group B freed in Jakarta; no Gerwani named.
TAPOL Bulletin no. 19, January 1977. Leads on 'release equals transmigration': Sudomo's 1 Dec 1976 release of 2,500 B-category tapols into 'transmigration centres' and Buru. Reports that women tapols at Plantungan (since 1971) were moved to Bulu prison, Semarang, apparently for transfer to a 'hard-core' women's camp at
TAPOL Bulletin no. 20, February 1977. Leads on East Timor massacres and torture; also a Jakarta detention-centre riot, US and Dutch aid, a Sulawesi tapol interview, 'double counting' of releases and non-involvement certificates. Item 'Plantungan to Close?' (p.4) reports about 100 women tapols moved to Bulu Prison, Sema
TAPOL Bulletin no. 25, December 1977 (London). Focuses on the 20 December releases from Buru and Tanjung Kasau, new 'resettlement' labour camps, the Amnesty report and Sudomo interview, the Sawito trial, student protests, and press reports (Newsweek, Economist, Age, Asahi, De Telegraf, FEER) on Buru. Page 11 rebuts Jen
Daily World, 21 Dec 1977, p. 8: short item that the PKI analysed the Indonesian government's release of 10,000 Communist political prisoners, saying perhaps 60,000-70,000 remain jailed, many since 1965, at least 15,000 died in Palembang and Surabaya camps, and new arrests roughly offset releases. Surrounded by unrelate
Dutch Second Chamber written question no. 605 (Jan 1978) by Henk Waltmans on the Dutch ambassador attending a political prisoner release in Medan, with Minister Van der Klaauw's answer citing Indonesia's end-1979 timetable. Context on release of post-1965 prisoners.
Komitee Indonesie (Amsterdam) campaign poster, c. 1978, demanding immediate release of all political prisoners, with silhouettes of three prisoners behind barbed wire. Dutch solidarity material on post-1965 detainees.
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, 19 January 1978, p. 5, feature by George Oliver on the release of 10,000 political prisoners held since the 1965 coup, with PKI members forced to swear loyalty. It describes the Category A, B, C system, the 1965-66 massacres (estimates up to half a million killed), Amnesty International's
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, 19 January 1978, p. 5, clean OCR of George Oliver's feature on the release of 10,000 political prisoners held since the 1965 coup (same article as GA-00267). It covers the official and alternative accounts of 30 September, killings of perhaps half a million, half to three-quarters of a mi
The Times, 27 July 1978, p.6, whole page of overseas news; the relevant item reports (Bandung, 26 July) that more than 8,000 political prisoners, communists jailed since the 1965 coup attempt, were released across Indonesia, about 4,000 in Bandung. They were 'B'-class prisoners who could have been tried; Colonel Sardjo
TAPOL Bulletin no. 29 (London, August 1978): assessment of the 1977–78 prisoner releases, resettlement camps, ILO criticism, Wertheim on Suharto and the Latief trial, ex-tapol discrimination, and trials. Page 11 reports that Dr Tanti Aidit, widow of D.N. Aidit and a Gerwani member who ran a Gerwani clinic, is to be tri
FBIS item (ANTARA, 8 Dec 1978): the Jakarta military released 22 'B' category Gestapu/PKI detainees, bringing Jakarta releases to about 380. Siswani, 50, was the only woman, with five children, the youngest aged 5 at detention. Another 1,300 Buru detainees from Jakarta were due for release on 29 December. Gerwani is no
TAPOL Bulletin no. 34 (London, June 1979, 20 pp.): exposes inconsistencies in KOPKAMTIB release figures, resettlement camps in Kalimantan and Buru, the student trials, release oath and ex-tapol discrimination, the Nijmegen psycho-test cover-up, TAPOL's research on 366 1965 trials, IGGI aid. Gerwani is not named; one it
Daily World, 11 Oct 1979, p. 7: world-news column; the Indonesia item reports that 2,000 political prisoners were released from 'special camps' in Jakarta-reported news, most held since 1965-66, with another 2,000 from Buru to follow. Indonesian democratic sources call it positive but note ex-prisoners lose civil right
Short Tempo item, 5 January 1980, on the release of Dr Soetanti Aidit, 57, widow of PKI chairman D.N. Aidit, from detention on 20 December 1979. Held from 1966 in Bukit Duri women's prison and never moved, she was separated from her five children for 13 years, declines to talk about the past and hopes to practise medic
JPRS translation volume (3 March 1980). Its Indonesia section reprints Indonesian press reports (Sinar Harapan, Pelita, 21 Dec 1979) on the release of Category B prisoners, including Pramoedya Ananta Toer. At the Jakarta ceremony 22 prisoners including Dr Sutanti Aidit were freed; she wept and said she would follow Isl
JPRS translation volume (3 March 1980). Its Indonesia section reprints Indonesian press reports (Sinar Harapan, Pelita, 21 Dec 1979) on the release of Category B prisoners, including Pramoedya Ananta Toer. At the Jakarta ceremony 22 prisoners including Dr Sutanti Aidit were freed; she wept and said she would follow Isl
Reader's letter in NRC Handelsblad (6 Jul 1985) answering a plea for clemency for old communists. The writer asserts the Lubang Buaya generals' murder was 'historically' the PKI's work, 'assisted by the communist women of the Gerwani', cites televised exhumation, and attacks Pramoedya's Nobel candidacy. Repeats the New
Continuation of De Waarheid's excerpt of Mohammad Munir's 1973 defence plea (30 Sep 1985, p.5). He denies the PKI attempted a coup, criticises Suharto's economic policy, and demands release of all 30 September prisoners including those in Buru, Nusakambangan and the women's camp Plantungan. A footnote glosses Gerwani a
Front-page De Waarheid report (23 Aug 1989) on the release on 17 August of Sundari Abdulrachman, PKI central committee member and former MP, after over twenty years' imprisonment (arrested Lampung Nov 1968; life sentence 1976, commuted 1982). Notes 51 PKI members still held, fourteen under death sentence, and fourteen
FBIS item (ANTARA, 23 Aug 1989): armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurhadi Purwosaputro said the release of Sundari Abdulrahman, 68, former chairwoman of Gerwani, followed completion of her term and presidential remission. She had been sentenced to life in 1976 in Tanjungkarang and held in Tangerang Women's Prison. He
Tempo, 2 Sep 1989. Reports the release from Tangerang women's prison on 17 August 1989 of Sundari Abdulrachman (68), former chair of Gerwani Pusat and PKI member of DPRGR, sentenced to life at Tanjungkarang on 16 Oct 1976 (commuted 1982) for organising Gerwani in Lampung. Officials deny that Inter-Parliamentary Union p
TAPOL Bulletin no. 95 (October 1989). Under 'IPU pressure wins release for jailed MP' (pp. 12-13) it reports the release on 17 August 1989 of Siti Sundari Abdulrachman, Indonesia's longest-serving woman political prisoner, then 68. A founding member of Gerwis, which became Gerwani, she sat on Gerwani's Executive Counci
Testimony of Dr Soebandrio, Sukarno's deputy prime minister, written after his 1995 release, arguing the 30 September Movement was a provocation exploited by Suharto's circle. Elite memoir; Gerwani is peripheral context.