Ethiopian marathon medallist stays put in Rio, vows to fight for land rights

By Sally Hayden LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Ethiopian silver medallist Feyisa Lilesa, who did not return home after staging a protest against his government at the Rio Olympics, said on Thursday he feared for his life if he went back and vowed to keep up his fight for land rights. Lilesa attracted global attention as he crossed the finish line in the marathon on Sunday and raised his arms above his head in an "X", a sign of protest against the Ethiopian government's treatment of his people, the ethnic Oromo. Ethiopia's Oromiya region, home to more than 25 million Oromos, has been riven by violent unrest over land rights and allegations of human rights violations since last November.
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