“I have relatives in prison back home”. Maybe I have to go to another country.
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The crossed arms above the head is a gesture made by the Oromo people as a sign of solidarity. “The Ethiopian government is killing my people so I stand with all protests anywhere as Oromo is my tribe”.
Lilesa won silver on Sunday with a time of 2:09:54, finishing behind liud Kipchoge of Kenya.
‘If you talk about democracy they kill you.
‘It is very unsafe in my country.
Tensions between the Oromo and the government have been on the rise since last November, when the government announced plans to reallocate Oromo farmland for development. Ethiopia is one of Africa’s fastest growing nations, and it seen by many as a model of economic potential.
However, reallocating land is a thorny issue for Ethiopians, many of whom are subsistence farmers. “I raised my hands to support the Oromo protest”.
Though that scheme has subsequently been shelved, unrest flared again this month after protesters took to the streets demanding an end to rights abuses such as the release of jailed dissidents.
Human rights groups say that Ethiopian security forces have killed scores of people in recent weeks as authorities crack down on a wave of anti-government unrest in two key regions, central-western Oromia and Amhara in the north. “Over 400 people are estimated to have been killed, thousands injured, tens of thousands arrested, and hundreds, likely more, have been victims of enforced disappearances”.
Despite Lilesa’s concerns, a spokesman for Mulatu Teshome’s Federal Parliamentary Republic government moved to dismiss the runner’s concerns and said neither he or his family have anything to worry about should he return home.
“Oromo is my tribe”, he said. I have got a decision.
“The Ethiopian government are killing the Oromo people and taking their land and resources so the Oromo people are protesting and I support the protest as I am Oromo”, he said. You can not work without that’.
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‘Oromo people now protest what is right, for peace, for a place, ‘ Lilesa said.
