Lima Belas Tahun Gerwani (Harian Rakjat, 4 Juni 1965; terjemahan JPRS 30968)

Title: JPRS 30968 (1965-06) - Fifteen Years of Gerwani, transl. of Harian Rakjat 4 June 1965 [Translations on South and East Asia No. 86, HathiTrust coo.31924082071600] Source: HathiTrust Digital Library (full view, US government work), page OCR text via text-only view Volume: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924082071600 Date retrieved: 2026-10-17 Note: page-image PDFs could not be downloaded (HathiTrust temporarily blocked image downloads); OCR text only. Page #233 JPRS: 30,968 TRANSLATIONS ON SOUTH AND EAST ASIA No. 86 This serial publication contains summaries or translations of selected articles on all aspects of life in the countries of South and East Asia, on the specific subjects reflected in the table of contents. Complete bibliographic information accompanies each article. CONTENTS Page Fifteen Years of Gerwani DPP BTI Press Statement on the Simalungun Affair Dr. Subandrio's Mission to Tokyo 13 Page #234 NO TEXT ON PAGE This page does not contain any text recoverable by the OCR engine. Page #235 FIFTEEN YEARS OF GERWANI Following is a translation of an unsigned article in the Indonesianlanguage daily newspaper, Harian Rakjat (People's Daily), 4 June 1965, page 3.1 ink Lise Gerwani Gerakan Wanita Indonesia, Indonesian Women's Movement7 is 15 years old on 4 June 1965. This represents 15 years of struggle for the revolutionary women's emancipation ideal, to serve the struggle of the Indonesian People and Revolution. The 15-year struggle is still not much if compared with the People's struggle before and after the August 45 Revolution. But it is very necessary to study and analyze this experience in order to improve further measures for the victory of the August 45 Revolution demands. There were three periods in Gerwani's development which reflected its political awareness: a) Formation period of Gerwis (Gerakan Wanita Indonesia Sedar; Aware Indonesian Women's Movement - (4 June 1950 up to the Second Congress in December 1954) b) Development period of Gerwani (Second Congress 1954 up to the Fourth Congress 1960) c) Period of supporting the association of women's organizations and front (Fourth Congress 1960 to the present). Formation of Gerwis Gerwis was born on 4 June 1950 at the time the Indonesian people Page #236 were facing the signing of the treacherous Round Table Conference Agreement which, in fact, restored the financial monopoly of the Dutch in Indonesia. At that time, the Indonesian women's movement had to answer two political problems in the homeland situation: a) to agree or not to agree with the KMB (Roundtable Agreement, and b) to join or not to join the Women's International Democratic Federation (GWDS Gabungan Wanita Demokratis Sedunia7. As is known, at the time of the August 45 Revolution, all women's movements united to defend the Republic of Indonesia independence proclamation, and many women took an active part in the revolution and armed struggle against Dutch colonialism. In addition that, with the membership of Kowani ( Kongress Wanita Indonesia, Indonesian Women's Congress in the GWDS, Indonesia strengthen friendship with democratic forces outside the country to win the Indonesian Revolution. In facing the two problems mentioned above, the Indonesian women's movement in general agreed to the KMB Agreement and wanted the withdrawal of Kowani from GWDS membership. Gerwis was very young. Since its inception, it had firmly stated its refusal of the KMB agreement and continued its membership in GWDS. Several Gerwis leaders were deceived by the Sukiman "August razzia" and went to jail. But Gerwis bravely and firmly flew high the banners of revolutionary women's emancipation i.e., on one side struggling for women's rights and on the other consistently struggling for the reform of the Indonesian society with an anti-imperialist/colonialist, anti-fascist, and anti-feudalist attitude. This was very good. But Gerwis also had a serious weakness because Gerwis was attacked by the sectarianism sickness so that it was less rooted less broadly developed in the women's mass circles. This sectarianism sickness was indicated, among other things, by the attitude of unwillingness to cooperate with other mass organization's and to work along mass lines. The name of Gerwani itself; i.e., Aware Indonesian Women's Movement, limits the organization's membership. Those who were accepted for membership in the organization were only those women who were aware while there were millions of Page #237 women's masses who were not yet aware and who had to be pulled into the struggle. At that time Gerwis grew from 500 (at its formation) to 6,000 at the First Congress in 1951 and to 74,977 by the Second Congress in 1954. Gerwani Development These weaknesses were the subject of discussion in depth at the Second Congress. It was decided to change the name of Gerwis to Gerwani and to make changes in the statutes and in working methods. All this was aimed at eradicating the sectarianism sickness which was hampering the development of the organization and the materialization of the mass line. Gerwani began to broaden its actions for the defense of women's and children's rights and to support actions for full national independence and for international solidarity. The most well-known actions were those defending Maisuri, opposing Atamimi, opposing Presidential Decree No. 19, and in many places supporting peasants' actions to defend arable land against bulldozing by foreign estates and supporting workers' actions to improve their lot. For children, Gerwani began to develop Melati kindergartens. For the first time Gerwani organized area and national seminars on children's education. Much political action was carried out, principally against the KMB Agreement. On the international level, Gerwani was continuously active in following the GWDS sessions and in sending delegations to carry the voice of Indonesian women's ideals and Indonesian revolutionary goals to many nations. On the organization level, much effort was made to develop Gerwani not only on Java but also on other islands. Also at the beginning there was women's cadre education, which became the backbone of the organization. One important facet of Gerwani endeavor was the hard work put into the general election in which more than 30,000 activists were organized for the victory of the candidate roster of Gerwani leadership; found on the PKI list. Other than that Gerwani also began to pay attention to working better with peasant women's groups Page #238 by holding peasant women's area and national seminars. Gerwani experienced a speedy development through hard work against this sectarianism sickness. This is evidenced by the increase in Gerwani membership from 74,977 to 631,342 at the Third Congress at Sala in 1957 to 1,056,436 at the Fourth Congress of 1961 in Djakarta. wani branches began to develop on all the Indonesian islands. Ger- Pantja Sila, Manipol/Usdek inspired the Gerwani struggle and through understanding of the principles of the Indonesian Revolution, Gerwani unyieldingly opposed PRRI/Permesta Pemuda Republic Rakjat Indonesia/Perjuangan Semesta, Indonesian People's Republic Youth/ Total Struggle Movement and DI/TII (Darul Islam/Tentara Islam Indonesia; west Java fanatical Moslem group/Indonesian Islamic Army as well as counterrevolution and subversion. Although Gerwani branches outside Java were still young, history had registered Gerwani cadres as brave, unyielding, and without knowledge of retreat in defending the RI territorial integrity and opposing counterrevolution and subversion. Gerwani also was not left behind in the victory of Trikora (Tri Komando Rakjat; People's Triple Command in the liberation of West Irian. Support of Women's Associations Organizations and Front The Fourth Congress increasingly became convinced of the importance of continuously supporting the organizations and front of women's associations. In that direction, Gerwani launched a struggle on the basis of three flags: i.e., flags of the women's associations' front, organization support, and helping the August 45 Revolution to victory. Re the women's associations' front. Gerwani cooperated with women's mass organizations and other women's leaders in mutual action. On the basis of increasing cooperation, a success was made of the Tenth Congress of Kowani at which His Excellency President Sukarno clarified the importance of the women's movement being cleansed of banned party elements. The Leadership Council of Kowani was able to be improved on the basis of an association front pivoted on Nasakom. The Women's Association Front was an important part of the National Association Front. Gerwani was ever increasing its awareness of supporting the basis of the National Association Front; i.e., the unification of workers and peasants who became pillars of the revolu- Page #239 tion. Aware that the Indonesian revolution was an agrarian revolution, Gerwani decided on its important line of total integration of Gerwani with workers, peasants, and destitute peasant women. Gerwani activities took part in the reorganization in peasant groups which were headed by Comrade Chairman of the CC PKI, D.N. Aidit, by carrying out the system of "three sama" (three together and supporting peasant actions to batter down the blocking of UUPA Land Reform Law and UUPBH Sharecropping Law and crushing the seven village devils. Gerwani took an active part in making a success of the BTI peasant women's con ference and signed a joint statement with BTI to carry out the slogan: no village without BTI and Gerwani. The problem of working in household women's groups was tackled by 2,000 Gerwani activists, and their experiences were summarized in area and national seminars. Gerwani also took active part in making a success of women workers' seminars handled by SOBSI (Sentral Organisasi Buruh Seluruh Indonesia; All-Indonesia Federation of Labor Organizations and young women's seminars handled by the People's Youth. All these were efforts made in order to become more exact and clever in uniting women's masses into action for the victory of the August 45 Revolution. In supporting organizations, Gerwani began to work on the basis of a more orderly plan. It was planned that Gerwani would have three million members by the Fifth Congress (December. 1965). This means that the plan quota has been exceeded. It is hoped that by the Fifth Congress, we shall have four million members. It was planned that Gerwani members would be educated to become progressive and healthy political and cultural persons and that Gerwani cadres be educated to become cadres who have a strong will, who can smooth things out politely, and who think intelligently. In the current political crystallization in which Nasakom cooperation is becoming an absolute certainty for the victory of the Indonesian revolution, Gerwani has been confirmed in its status as a communist women's mass organization and a non-communist progressive. Page #240 Gerwani is obligated to continue to support Nasakom cooperation in women's groups. Intensify the Revolutionary Offensive to Make a Success of Trisakti / Three Forces Tavip and Dwikora The commemoration of Gerwani's 15th anniversary now is being held in an increasingly revolutionary situation in our homeland, in which People's movements are intensifying against nekolim, headed by US imperialists. Patriotic actions of the working class to expropriate US and British imperialist enterprises and the withdrawal of Indonesia from the UN are an answer precisely in balance with their attitude to aid an active "Malaysia." The celebration of Gerwani's 15th anniversary also is being held after the successful commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the First Asian-African Conference which reflected an increasingly strong Bandung spirit and which carried out AA solidarity as a Nefo pivot. Before us is placed an obligation to make a success of the Second Asian-African Conference, the Second Asian-African Women's Conference, and Conefo which is very important for the support of the anti-nekolim struggle for a new world rid of imperialism/colonialism. Commemoration of Gerwani's 15th anniversary is being held while the Indonesian people are carrying out the President's message "Berdikari" (Standing on one's Own Feet and the decision of the MPRS. Gerwani must increase its contributions toward carrying out banting stir a drastic turn of the wheels to make a success of Trisakti Tavip; i.e., standing on one's own feet in politics, in economy, and in cultural identity. On this basis Gerwani must take an active part in supporting the revolutionary offensive on all levels to make a success of Trisakti Tavip and Dwikora to crush "Malaysia. For that Gerwani must continuously educate itself and toughen itself and be determined to deepen Marxism-Leninism as a most competent science to solve the problem of the Indonesian revolution. Gerwani must be determined to continue to advance, to refuse retreat, to crush the five evils "Malaysia," Page #241 seven village devils, US imperialist world devil, the mighty, and modern revisionism. The Fifth Gerwani Congress will be held in December, 1965. This will be an important affair in the history of Gerwani development. Because of that all Gerwani members and leadership at the center and in the areas must make a success of this Congress by taking an active part in winning the competition on the levels of finance, organization, education, and culture. Let's make the 15th anniversary of Gerwani a manifestation of unanimous determination to continue to fly high the banner of the revolutionary women's emancipation struggle! 6804 CSO: 3570-D