As founder and Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America for including the Caucus in this publication.  It is an honor to join you in celebrating the 23rd annual Ethiopian soccer tournament, which promises to bring together Ethiopians throughout the world to promote cultural, historical, and political awareness of Ethiopia.

The high point of my tenure as Caucus Chair was my 2005 visit to Ethiopia. My experience there only deepened my respect and admiration for the passion and commitment of Ethiopians to their homeland’s progress.  There are few greater examples of this than the annual Soccer Tournament. I only wish I could join you in the festivities; my spirit is certainly with you.

Your community makes up one of the largest African immigrant groups in the United States, especially in my Silicon Valley District.  You have made substantial contributions to America’s cultural and political richness. It is only logical that you also be formally represented, and your concerns be duly monitored, in Congress. It is for this purpose that my Congressional colleagues and I organized this Caucus to give Ethiopian Americans a voice on Capitol Hill.

I follow Ethiopian and Ethiopian American politics, and I am aware of key priorities and issues. The May 2005 Parliamentary Elections remains a contentious issue facing this community because of its implications for democracy and the protection of human rights. I am deeply concerned about these issues, and some of the Ethiopian government’s record in this sphere. As a Japanese American who experienced unjust internment at the hands of the US government during World War II, I know firsthand about the abuse of human rights and disregard for democracy in times of fear. As a Member of Congress, I will always fight to be the voice of reason that insists that protection of democratic ideals is sacred in such times.

As Ethiopia continues on its democratization path, the Ethiopia Caucus will continue to focus on key the economic and social developments. The country has made substantial progress in addressing the issues of the AIDS pandemic, the global coffee crisis, famine, and fistula. It is imperative that you have direct involvement and input in the decisions the United States makes towards Ethiopia, and it is my sincerest intention to fight for just that. What I experienced in Ethiopia, and what I know of in your dynamic community has compelled me to represent you in Congress in a range of ways including from holding educational outreach events, to requesting funding through the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee on Appropriations to increase development and humanitarian funding for Diaspora led initiatives.

I encourage you to consider the work and value of the Ethiopia Caucus, and to ask your own Members of Congress to join.

To learn more about the Ethiopia Caucus, you can visit my web site at http://honda.house.gov/.

Congressman MIKE HONDA