Somalilandsun- “It is hard to believe. It is like a movie. Prisoners used to be kept along with Lions and Hyena,”
This was stated by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed in direct reference to ousted president of the Zone Five Somali Administrative region Abdi Illey.
According to PM Abiy the ousted Illey currently in police custody will be prosecuted pursuant to Ethiopian laws.
This information that shock Ethiopians to the core and other issues were divulged during the first ever press conference under by Abiy as Prime Minister, in which he fielded questions from a large number of attended local and international journalists,
Following the presser https://www.borkena.com quoted the PM saying “Somali regional government arrested political prisoners along with Lions and Hyena. And it was meant to be a form of torture.
“It is hard to believe. It is like a movie. Prisoners used to be kept along with Lions and Hyena,” Abiy told journalists.
It is to be recalled that in his last weeks in power, Abdi Illey reportedly ordered an intensified and open ethnic based attack in Somali region of Ethiopia including in the region’s capital Jijiga targeting Amhara, Oromo and even Somalis who dared to oppose his administration.
Dozens of Ethiopians were killed during the attack which was mainly launched by the region’s special force and Youth group organized by the deposed regional administration. More than ten churches were burned along with seven priests and thousands of residents in Jijiga and Kebri Dehar were displaced. And government was compelled to deploy members of the defense force to the region.
The regional president, Abdi Illey, is currently in custody.
Speaking about the fate of notorious Abdi, Abiy Ahmed said that legal measure will be taken although he did not spell it out if he is going to be prosecuted, and if so when that is happening. Human Rights Watch has been calling for an investigation into human rights violations and prosecution of those who perpetrated it.
Prime Minister Abiy also talked about, among many other things, alleged schism within the ruling coalition’s (EPRDF) and its political ideology. He dismissed the rumor about the division.
Read: Ethiopia Must Probe and Redress Years of Crimes Against Humanity in the Zone Five
Regarding party ideology, the PM said, “The party has not yet changed direction as far as political ideology is concerned.” He also stated that there has been consensus within the ruling coalition Executive Committee members on all the agendas during the recent meeting (it happened this week.)
The prime minister also expressed his views that he would like people not to single out Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as a party that is resisting the ongoing change in the country. “There are individuals who support the change and work for peace and prosperity of Ethiopians; there are also those individuals who do not support and accept the change. This is the case in all EPRDF member parties,” he added.
Watch First Press Conference by Abiy Ahmed as PM of Ethiopia
