OPEN LETTERS TO AMERICAN AIRLINES, U.S AIRWAYS, U.S. SENATOR

All letters by Richard,
Aruban Boycott Contributor

June 25, 2006

Mr. Gerard J. Arpey
President, Chairman, and Chief Executive
American Airlines
4333 Amon Carter Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76155

Dear Mr. Arpey:


I wrote to you on June 16 to express my repulsion at learning that your airline is teamed with Radisson Hotels in offering a Getaway to Aruba summer sweepstakes program. I can see no justification for promoting tourism in Aruba while the Natalee Holloway case remains open, given the apparent collusion of elements of the Aruba government and law enforcement in covering up her disappearance, apparently to protect certain individuals.


Since then, I have learned that your airline is joining forces with U.S. Air as the official airlines for a music festival to be held in Aruba in October. I trust that Americans will realize that such a festival may well attract predators similar to those who are responsible for the image of an unsafe, unhappy island that Aruba now bears, and will shun the event.


However, I cannot believe that your airline will be willing to participate in bringing more American tourists to that country while the Natalee Holloway tragedy remains unsolved. Given Arubas continuing reluctance to take effective action in the case, putting more young Americans in potential peril can only be a demonstration of moral indifference. With the plunge in tourist traffic to Aruba in recent months, your venture is likely to be economically unrewarding. And with the American public remaining resolved to find justice for Natalee, the blackened image of Aruba is likely to tarnish your airline as well.


Might I suggest that it would be appropriate for your airline to withdraw from this agreement, or to make participation conditional on Arubas finding the fate of Natalee and on punishment for any person convicted of criminal actions against her?


If you are unwilling to adhere to this idea, I would like to suggest that you consider changing your airlines name, because no airline that serves Aruba should bear my nations proud name.

June 25, 2006

Mr. Douglas W. Parker
President, Chairman, and Chief Executive
U.S. Airways
4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Dear Mr. Parker:


I understand that your airline is joining forces with American Airlines as the official airlines for a music festival to be held in Aruba in October.

I am writing to oppose your participating in such an arrangement, and to advise you that, under present conditions, I shall do my best to avoid flying on U.S. Airways while the agreement remains in effect.

It has been more than a year since Natalee Holloway disappeared in Aruba. There is substantial evidence that elements of the Aruba government and law enforcement have participated in a cover-up of her fate, in an apparent attempt to protect certain individuals.


Accordingly, I cannot believe that your airline is willing to participate in bringing more American tourists to that country while the tragedy remains unsolved. Doing so is a financial mistake, given the plunge in tourism that Aruba itself admits has taken place for several months and that is likely to increase as no solution to Natalees case is found.


More important, the nature of this festival suggests your airline is indifferent to the risk of putting more young Americans at risk from predators on that unhappy, unsafe island. I believe that it would be appropriate for U.S. Airways to withdraw from this agreement, or to make participation conditional on Arubas first solving the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and ensuring punishment for anyone convicted of criminal actions against her.


We the American people will not forget Natalee nor abandon her family in their quest for justice. I hope that your airline will likewise see the wisdom of standing united with us.

June 25, 2006

The Hon. Richard Shelby
United States Senate
110 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Sen. Shelby:


I am one of many Americans who have followed the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba and have wondered why our government seems to be indifferent to the apparent cover-up by elements of the Aruba government and law enforcement. Although I am not one of your constituents, the plight of Natalees family surely engages every American.


You were among the first in Congress to call on Americans to join in a voluntary tourist boycott of Aruba in hopes that such a move would goad that nation into taking effective action. Since your Nov. 8 appearance on the Rita Cosby show, tourism to Aruba has indeed declined and shows signs of continuing to decline. One cruise ship company has cut Aruba from its Caribbean itinerary, and signs of political turmoil there are emerging. And yet despite the efforts of the Holloway Twitty family to find answers in this case, the Aruban government remains inactive and we seem to be no closer to knowing Natalees fate than nearly thirteen months ago.


For months, I have been writing to President Bush asking that the Dutch ambassador be summoned to the White House for a conference. I have received no reply. The priorities of the current administration apparently do not include speaking out for an American missing abroad or demanding action in her case.


I am therefore writing to request that you, who have already spoken out on this matter, consider introducing a sense of the Senate resolution urging that Americans not travel to Aruba and urging American transport and hotel businesses catering to Aruba to cease offering their services until Natalees fate is known and anyone convicted of criminal actions against her has been punished.


Such a resolution could include a statement that Aruba does not seem to be concerned with safeguarding the welfare of American visitors. It would also be entirely proper for such a resolution to take note of the apparent indifference of the Dutch government to the actions in Aruba. The Netherlands had the power to intervene, and chose not to do so. As a sovereign nation it can follow its own counsel: as a sovereign nation we should fulfill our obligations to our own citizens.


It may be that the Aruban government has concluded from the apparent indifference of the federal government and the U.S. State Department to the Natalee Holloway tragedy that Washington prefers the niceties of diplomacy to effective action on behalf of American citizens abroad. It is incumbent upon our government to demonstrate that we are as prepared to respond to outrages committed on our citizens as we have always been.


Finally, but first and foremost, this resolution should emphasize that we the American people will not let the Natalee Holloway case fade away and be allowed to lapse. And that our government will stand united with its people and Natalees family on this matter.

Cc: The Hon. Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C St., NW
Washington, DC 20520


Aruba Tourism Authority
1200 Harbor Blvd.
Weehawken, NJ 07087


Embassy of the Netherlands
4200 Linnean Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008