Retired General Kivlan Zein Denies Masterminding Attack on YLBHI
19 September 2017 07:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Retired major general Kivlan Zein has denied accusations of masterminding the attack on the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) building. He, however, confirmed that he was invited by the coordinator of the protest that was staged in front of the YLBHI office.
“I did not plan any attack [on the YLBHI],” Kivlan said in a text message received by Tempo yesterday.
The building was under siege by protesters that demanded an event called ‘Asik Asik Aksi’ be disbanded over an accusation that the participants were attempting to revive the banned Indonesia Communist Party (PKI).
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Kivlan explained that he was indeed invited but not to become the coordinator of the protest, let alone masterminding the attack. “I even suggested that they cancel the protest because the seminar had been disbanded by the police,” he said.
The retired major general said that he was not present at the scene, adding that he had told protesters not to break into the building. “Let alone breaking the windows because they could be charged with violent conduct,” he said.
Kivlan Zein said that people who attacked the YLBHI building were intruders. Instead, he applauded the protesters for fighting for national unity (NKRI).
SYAIFUL HADI
