Gabber Modus Operandi’s Ican Harem issues personal statement of apology in response to sexual abuse allegations

Ican Harem of Indonesian experimental duo Gabber Modus Operandi has issued a personal statement of apology regarding recent sexual abuse allegations and investigations made against the duo. 

The statement follows an investigation into recently-surfaced allegations made on Twitter that an unnamed member of the group sexually abused someone in 2019. On 26 August, the duo appointed a professional mediator in response to the allegations, announcing that they would pause all activities to fully cooperate with investigations.

Harem’s apology follows the issuing of an official document by participating mediator Ditta Wisnu last Friday (September 2), which cleared the group to resume band activities. Ditta Wisnu’s investigations also identified Harem as the alleged perpetrator in the case.  

Read Harem’s full statement via Harem’s personal Instagram below.

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A post shared by ICAN HAREM (@icanharem)

In the statement, Harem apologised for the events that transpired, writing that the events alleged were borne “without any element of coercion, pressure, or intimidation”. “It has never been my intention to cause harm to others or to have any similar impact in the future,” he wrote.

Harem proceeded to address his personal silence since the start of the investigation, attributing it to comments on his lack of knowledge on gender issues, his decision to “step back and listen”, and to process the situation: “I prefer that the truth come from the affected person (X) rather than from me, because I recognise that my position as a man is more advantageous in situations like this.”

“It occurred solely as a result of my own failure to assess the situation, and I am completely responsible for it. However, many things have already occurred, and time cannot be reversed,” Harem wrote about the situation. Harem proceeded to detail his attending of professional counseling during the mediating period, and acknowledged his full commitment in implementing and carrying out Wisnu’s recommendations with full responsibility. 

In the mediator’s report released last Friday, Wisnu recommended the group to resume their activities, while holding meetings on understanding sexual violence and maintaining the complaint service created during the mediation process – of which neither Gabber Modus Operandi members nor their team have access to.

“This serves as a wake-up call for me,” Harem wrote about the incident, commenting upon the mediating process in understanding respecting commitment, and “recognising” his limitations of gender-related knowledge and experiences, particularly the scope of widespread sexual violence”. 

In the statement, Harem also acknowledged the efforts of his bandmate Kasimyn and his manager Wok, as well as his wife Manda, for helping him navigate the situation and learn “accountability and responsibility.” Earlier in Wisnu’s statement, both Kasimyn and Wok were accused of being “enablers” in the alleged case, and were recommended for name restoration and psychological recovery. Harem noted their efforts as the “two people remain committed to the advancement, transparency and accountability of GMO”.

NME has reached out to Kasimyn and Wok for comment on the alleged victim’s accusation that the two of them enabled Harem in the alleged case.

“Critics are our friends, for they do show us a room for improvement,” Harem concluded his statement, thanking all members involved during the process. “To that end, I am willing to go to any length to assist people affected by what I have done in the past, and I am determined not to repeat it in the future.”

Earlier this year in August, Gabber Modus Operandi were revealed as collaborators with Björk on her upcoming album, ‘Fossora’. According to details of a Guardian interview, the  duo share a WhatsApp group chat with the Icelandic icon named “biological techno”, where they shared beats which were edited into the album. “They’re taking tradition into the 21st century, which I really respect. They do it like nobody else,” Björk commented on the group.

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