In 2016, marathon runner Feyisa Lilesa made headlines during his Olympic run in Rio. As he passed the finish line he crossed his arms over his head. This gesture would send Feysia into exile for two years.  

Before this moment, the plight of the Oromo people barely made the news. His protest however brought the spotlight on Ethiopia's crackdown of Oromo Protesters. 

So who are the Oromo people and why are they persecuted by the Ethiopian government? What happened in 2015 to bring the community out into the streets, and what’s happened since?


Music by Ripley Kavara