Gerwani
Encyclopedia
Gerwani was an organization of communist
women active in Indonesia
in the 1950s and 1960s. The organization was founded in 1950, and had over 650,000 members in 1957.
The organization was closely affiliated with Communist Party of Indonesia
(PKI), but was an independent organization concerned with a variety of socialist and feminist issues, including marriage law
reform, labor rights
, and Indonesian nationalism
. After an alleged coup d'etat
of September 30, 1965, Gerwani was banned and many of its members killed, and under President Suharto the organization became a commonly cited example of immorality and disorder in the pre-1965 era.
, then known as the "Red City" for its many leftist organizations.
During most of its life, the organization saw internal tension between its feminist wing and its communist wing, which favored closer association with the PKI, although there was seldom a clear divide between these groups.
Early campaigns focused on reforming Indonesia's legal system to make women and men equal under the law. Much emphasis was placed on marriage law
s, which gave precedence to local customs that in many places restricted women's ability to inherit
property or to resist involuntary polygamous
marriages. On a local scale, Gerwani also provided individual support to women who had been abused or abandoned by their husbands. While much of the early membership was drawn from the middle class
es, the organization worked hard, with eventual success, to reach out to the working class
and peasant
ry.
By the early 1960s, Gerwani had gained a role in national politics. Its links to the PKI became tighter, and the feminist aspects of its activism were diminished. The organization also became a strong supporter of President Sukarno
, who they respected for his nationalism and his socialist policies, despite some internal disagreement over the President's polygamous
marriages, which were abhorrent to the group. The organization had a peak of about 1.5 million members in 1965.
) the organisation was banned along with most other left-leaning groups. The Army alleged that Gerwani members had helped to kill the generals, and had danced naked, castrated the men, and engaged in other similar depravity. Most contemporary historians agree these allegations were false. Thousands of Gerwani members were rape
d or killed as a part of the bloody anti-Communist purge
that followed and led to the downfall of Sukarno.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
women active in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in the 1950s and 1960s. The organization was founded in 1950, and had over 650,000 members in 1957.
The organization was closely affiliated with Communist Party of Indonesia
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
(PKI), but was an independent organization concerned with a variety of socialist and feminist issues, including marriage law
Marriage law
Marriage law refers to the legal requirements which determine the validity of a marriage, which vary considerably between countries.- Rights and obligations :...
reform, labor rights
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
, and Indonesian nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
. After an alleged coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of September 30, 1965, Gerwani was banned and many of its members killed, and under President Suharto the organization became a commonly cited example of immorality and disorder in the pre-1965 era.
Beginning
Gerwis, Gerwani's predecessor, was founded in June 1950 by the union of six existing women's organizations based in island of Java; other organizations from around the archipelago joined the group over the next few years. It established offices around the country, and was headquartered in SemarangSemarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
, then known as the "Red City" for its many leftist organizations.
During most of its life, the organization saw internal tension between its feminist wing and its communist wing, which favored closer association with the PKI, although there was seldom a clear divide between these groups.
Early campaigns focused on reforming Indonesia's legal system to make women and men equal under the law. Much emphasis was placed on marriage law
Marriage law
Marriage law refers to the legal requirements which determine the validity of a marriage, which vary considerably between countries.- Rights and obligations :...
s, which gave precedence to local customs that in many places restricted women's ability to inherit
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
property or to resist involuntary polygamous
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
marriages. On a local scale, Gerwani also provided individual support to women who had been abused or abandoned by their husbands. While much of the early membership was drawn from the middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
es, the organization worked hard, with eventual success, to reach out to the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
and peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
ry.
By the early 1960s, Gerwani had gained a role in national politics. Its links to the PKI became tighter, and the feminist aspects of its activism were diminished. The organization also became a strong supporter of President Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
, who they respected for his nationalism and his socialist policies, despite some internal disagreement over the President's polygamous
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
marriages, which were abhorrent to the group. The organization had a peak of about 1.5 million members in 1965.
Fall
After six generals were killed in an abortive coup attempted on the night of 30 September 1965 (see 30 September Movement30 September Movement
The Thirtieth of September Movement ) was a self-proclaimed organization of Indonesian National Armed Forces members who, in the early hours of 1 October 1965, assassinated six Indonesian Army generals in an abortive coup d'état. Later that morning, the organization declared that it was in control...
) the organisation was banned along with most other left-leaning groups. The Army alleged that Gerwani members had helped to kill the generals, and had danced naked, castrated the men, and engaged in other similar depravity. Most contemporary historians agree these allegations were false. Thousands of Gerwani members were rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d or killed as a part of the bloody anti-Communist purge
Indonesian killings of 1965–66
The Indonesian killings of 1965–1966 were an anti-communist purge following a failed coup in Indonesia. The most widely accepted estimates are that over half a million people were killed...
that followed and led to the downfall of Sukarno.
External links
- Gerwani at Austin College Student Center
- The Gerwani movement and what happened in 1965 http://thewomenandthegenerals.com