Abdi Iley: “I Was a Tool for TPLF”

In a Bizarre Speech, Abdi Iley Implicates that Getachew Assefa and other TPLF Generals Were Behind Atrocities in the Somali Region.

(Jigjiga Herald) — In a bizarre speech that Abdi Mohamoud Omer aka Abdi Iley gave to Regional House Representatives today, he claimed that everything he did for the last ten years was direct orders from Getachew Assefa, the former chief of National Intelligence and Information Services, and other TPLF military Generals.

Abdi Iley spoke for a long time during the parliament session and we summarized here the key excerpts from his address:

“I was a tool for TPLF. They [TPLF] did have a gun on my head all this time. I was also giving every penny of the Region’s budget as a ransom payment to a few Tigres [meaning TPLF General and other key politicians].”

“I will tell you everything today. Every order to kill or cause crises was coming from them [TPLF]”, he continued.

“They [TPLF] are the ones who were ordering the killings, I was just doing it to save myself. Every massacre in the Region was also ordered by Getachew Assefa [he said that with a curse word]. He [Getachew Assefa] is also behind the Oromo-Somali conflict. Do you think that Oromos and Somalis would just go into war without someone being behind it, he asked?”

“All the mistakes I have made were because of Getachew Assefa. Getachew Assefa held a gun on our head and asked us to do what he wants us to do.

“He [Getachew Assefa] is the man who was holding on Hailemariam’s head for 6 years, referring to the former prime minister.” According to Abdi Iley, he even at times kidnaped the wife of the former prime minister Hailemariam.”

In this bizarre speech, even to Abdi Iley’s standard, he also said this: “The rumor of my resignation was spread by Getachew Assefa, who wants bags of money as he used to get.”

In the same speech, he also claimed that prime minister Abiy Ahmed is a God sent, a prophet and Lemma Meggerssa [Oromia Regional President] is like his disciple.” In what seemed to be someone who is disturbed and out of character while also lacking his usual bravado, he declared that “he is ready to work with them and be part of the changes that are taking place in the country.”

In this speech that was like no other, he also seemed conciliatory. He declared, though it lacked authenticity and seemed to be aimed to just buy time, that “our people need to forgive each other. Those who are dead will not come back. Let’s forget what they [TPLF] did to us. We also need to stop silencing dissidents with lethal force to the point of killing the person. We should be able to have a dinner together while having a different point of views”.

While continuing this speech that will be for the ages, He remarked sarcastically, “Let’s also pray for those who have been massacred. Haday joogaan way iska shidaalysan lahaayeen [meaning, if they were here today, they would have celebrated the commencement of crude oil production in the Somali Region].”

The other remark that also raised some eyebrows is this: “I am calling for the rest of Ethiopian people for neighborly coexisting, especially our foremost neighbor, our brothers the Oromos, since the devils who were instigating all this violence between us are finally caught.”

What is also interesting is the fact that he held what amounted to a press conference that he raised the same talking points covered in this piece, but in a rather constrained fashion.

The Regional parliament’s session is expected to continue for tomorrow!