AWESOME RETORT TO CARRIBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION
To Whom it May Concern,
This e-mail is in reference to the letter you sent to the U.S. State Department regarding the popular American boycott of Aruba due to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. I am a tourism professional myself, a graduate of Texas A&M University's Recreation, Park, and Tourism program. I fully expect people such as yourselves to support Aruba in word if not in deed (though many tourism professionals in the U.S.- including some of my former professors at A&M- support the boycott). I say this because I know that business is business, and other Caribbean nations stand to gain all the business that Aruba will lose. However, this e-mail is not to discuss economics, but rather to respond to the letter you sent Ms. Rice as posted on arubatruth.com. I include a copy of this letter for your convenience as found on that website:
1. QUOTE: "Although this practice of extending a particular situation to the entire geographic region is unmerited, we understand United States' laws regarding freedom of the press"
Obviously, you do not understand freedom of the press in the United States, or perhaps this is an issue of a language barrier. In the series you mention, there is never any reference made to any other Caribbean country other than Aruba- not even other islands in the Netherland Antilles chain. I fail to see how a simple headline- crafted to capture the viewers attention and nothing more- is somehow hurting the other Caribbean islands. This is no different than mentioning the state of Texas to describe an event that happened specifically in Houston, for example.
Furthermore, at no point has Beth Holloway Twitty, Dave Holloway, Alabama Governor Riley, or anyone else among Beth's supporters called for a boycott of the entire Caribbean. This effort has always been directed at the Netherlands and moreso the Netherland Antilles. In fact, several times these people have suggested on national television that there are many other wonderful places in the Caribbean to visit instead of Aruba! Again, I fail to understand how recommending American tourists visit other Caribbean destinations is harming these places in any way.
2. QUOTE: "You will understand that the people of Aruba feel particularly selected for persecution when a casual perusal of the FBI's list of missing persons ( http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/kidnap/kidmiss.htm)shows scores of persons who have been missing throughout the United States for far longer periods and there is no call for boycotts of those States in which the missing person was last seen."
Again, it is your organization- doubtlessly misled by your Aruban constituents- that does not understand. The issue is not what happened to Natalee, it is how the Aruban investigators have consistently mishandled and quite frankly ruined the investigation. To say that there are states in the U.S. that are not boycotted due to similar cases is missing the point entirely.
You see, in the United States we have judicial oversight that prevents the type of professional 'incest' that occurs in Aruban judicial and legal circles. On an island of less than 100,000 where every attorney, investigator, and judge knows each other and are often in the same social circles, how can any investigation be fair and impartial?
In the U.S., we do not allow conflicts of interest, such as when Curacao Judge Smit, a known and admitted friend of the Van Der Sloot family, was allowed to preside over at least one hearing involving the suspects. In the United States such a person would be removed from the case immediately and another, impartial judge brought in from any distance necessary! In short, comparing the Aruban system of 'justice' with that of the U.S. is like comparing apples to oranges.
In the United States such questionable actions as this and others (failing to share interrogation tapes with the FBI as promised, failure to search the entire grounds of the suspect's residence, alteration of documents signed by Beth Twitty just to name a few) would absolutely not be allowed in the U.S., and if such questionable actions were to occur there would be an immediate Federal investigation into the misconduct! But if you wish to compare the U.S. with Aruba in regards to missing persons, consider the case of Amy Bradley. This young woman, an American citizen, disappeared off a cruise ship in Netherland Antilels waters in 1998. To date there has been no trace of her found nor has the local government conducted any investigation, preferring instead to claim a perfectly healthy, sober woman somehow fell overboard in calm seas!
He who is without sin cast the first stone. Not so fast, Aruba.
To reiterate, the boycott is not about what happened to Natalee, it is because the investigation is at the exact same point now as it was on May 30, and why it is in this sad state. There is absolutely no excuse for competent and honest investigators to be at this point and this late. I can only assume said Aruban investigators are either incompetant or dishonest.
You must admit, these examples are quite damning and raise many suspicions, especially when the investigators choose to keep the same stance of offering empty promises, empty rhetoric, nonsensical explanations, and no real communication of any kind. To borrow another American phrase, "Talk is cheap". America demands answers.
3. QUOTE: "Aruba, in fact, is one of the great success stories of our hemisphere particularly as a people who are committed to democratic ideals and economic self-determination. Moreover, there is no one in our region who believes that any government official in Aruba or in any other Caribbean country would be engaged in protecting the wrongdoing of any individual citizen while risking the entire national economy."
It is true that Aruba is a great success story. However, if you truly believe that no Aruban official would jeopardize the national economy in the way you sugegst, consider the following:
Between 1986 and 1992 the Cuntrera and Caruana families of Italy- both known Mafia families who specialize in money laundering- acquired 60 per cent of Aruba through investments in hotels, casino's and manipulating the election campaign of the Prime Minister at that time. Furthermore, in 1996 Aruba was slated for full independence from the Netherlands, which would mark an end to status aparte.
However, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and even Venezuela pressured the Netherlands to postpone this move due to concerns of growing organized crime money laundering and drug smuggling through Aruba. Aruba is one of the few remaining Caribbean islands that has not honored the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty of 1986 in regards to sharing information about possible money laundering activities with partners in the United States. In fact, the very tourism industry that thrives in Aruba actually offers additional possibilities to re-invest drug profits in the form of casinos, nightclubs, hotels, and resorts.
Aruba is also a known drug smuggling haven, due in large part to the many free trade zones therein. There are many documented examples of large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana passing through Aruba. In fact, so many examples exist that the Drug Enforcement Agency of the U.S. can quote how much herion sells per kilo in Aruba ($23,000 USD), how much cocaine sells for ($4,500 USD), and how much a kilo of marijuana costs in Aruba ($2,000 USD). The DEA should know; they maintain a forward operating location in Aruba.
You claim that no politician would jeopardize the island's economy to protect anyone. That is simply not true; in fact, given the situation, it is absolutely naive to think this. First, the Dutch overlords of Aruba have no interest in the welfare of the common, native Aruban. It is a well-known fact that the Dutch bourgeoisie in Aruba have a well-entrenched and exclusive community seperate from the greater picture of life in Aruba. Incidentally, a Dutch acquaintance of mine tells me that this exact same condition exists in the Netherlands. Second, the criminals who own 60% of Aruba are far more powerful and dangerous than the formal government. It is a condition that exists throughout the Third World, sadly.
4. QUOTE: "We are confident that wise counsel from your good offices to those individuals and officials regarding these international matters would prove helpful in preventing these troublesome developments."
You do not seem to understand the full extent of seperation of powers that the United States enjoys. The U.S. State Department has not yet officially sanctioned the boycott, but there is absolutely nothing to prevent any number of governors, Congressmen and women, and private citizens from supporting the boycott. In fact, freedom of expression is ultimately the basis of the entire U.S. Constitution. Not even the President of the United States himself has the power or authority to 'blow the whistle' on Governor Riley or anyone else who chooses to support the boycott, even if they are in public office themselves. In fact, no amount of governmental displeasure can prevent popular opinion from forming in the United States, as the many antiwar protests during the Vietnam era prove.
In short, if the typical American believes Aruba is dangerous and corrupt, then Aruba is already doomed to become another Haiti. I predict that in time other Caribbean nations will be quick to distance themselves from Aruba to avoid not only guilt by association but also to reap the benefits of Aruba's dying tourism economy.
Thank you for your time and attention. I welcome, but do not expect, reply letters from each branch office.
I would like to respond to each point you make in your letter point by point.
1. QUOTE: "Although this practice of extending a particular situation to the entire geographic region is unmerited, we understand United States' laws regarding freedom of the press"
Obviously, you do not understand freedom of the press in the United States, or perhaps this is an issue of a language barrier. In the series you mention, there is never any reference made to any other Caribbean country other than Aruba- not even other islands in the Netherland Antilles chain. I fail to see how a simple headline- crafted to capture the viewers attention and nothing more- is somehow hurting the other Caribbean islands. This is no different than mentioning the state of Texas to describe an event that happened specifically in Houston, for example.
Furthermore, at no point has Beth Holloway Twitty, Dave Holloway, Alabama Governor Riley, or anyone else among Beth's supporters called for a boycott of the entire Caribbean. This effort has always been directed at the Netherlands and moreso the Netherland Antilles. In fact, several times these people have suggested on national television that there are many other wonderful places in the Caribbean to visit instead of Aruba! Again, I fail to understand how recommending American tourists visit other Caribbean destinations is harming these places in any way.
2. QUOTE: "You will understand that the people of Aruba feel particularly selected for persecution when a casual perusal of the FBI's list of missing persons ( http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/kidnap/kidmiss.htm)shows scores of persons who have been missing throughout the United States for far longer periods and there is no call for boycotts of those States in which the missing person was last seen."
Again, it is your organization- doubtlessly misled by your Aruban constituents- that does not understand. The issue is not what happened to Natalee, it is how the Aruban investigators have consistently mishandled and quite frankly ruined the investigation. To say that there are states in the U.S. that are not boycotted due to similar cases is missing the point entirely.
You see, in the United States we have judicial oversight that prevents the type of professional 'incest' that occurs in Aruban judicial and legal circles. On an island of less than 100,000 where every attorney, investigator, and judge knows each other and are often in the same social circles, how can any investigation be fair and impartial?
In the U.S., we do not allow conflicts of interest, such as when Curacao Judge Smit, a known and admitted friend of the Van Der Sloot family, was allowed to preside over at least one hearing involving the suspects. In the United States such a person would be removed from the case immediately and another, impartial judge brought in from any distance necessary! In short, comparing the Aruban system of 'justice' with that of the U.S. is like comparing apples to oranges.
In the United States such questionable actions as this and others (failing to share interrogation tapes with the FBI as promised, failure to search the entire grounds of the suspect's residence, alteration of documents signed by Beth Twitty just to name a few) would absolutely not be allowed in the U.S., and if such questionable actions were to occur there would be an immediate Federal investigation into the misconduct! But if you wish to compare the U.S. with Aruba in regards to missing persons, consider the case of Amy Bradley. This young woman, an American citizen, disappeared off a cruise ship in Netherland Antilels waters in 1998. To date there has been no trace of her found nor has the local government conducted any investigation, preferring instead to claim a perfectly healthy, sober woman somehow fell overboard in calm seas!
He who is without sin cast the first stone. Not so fast, Aruba.
To reiterate, the boycott is not about what happened to Natalee, it is because the investigation is at the exact same point now as it was on May 30, and why it is in this sad state. There is absolutely no excuse for competent and honest investigators to be at this point and this late. I can only assume said Aruban investigators are either incompetant or dishonest.
You must admit, these examples are quite damning and raise many suspicions, especially when the investigators choose to keep the same stance of offering empty promises, empty rhetoric, nonsensical explanations, and no real communication of any kind. To borrow another American phrase, "Talk is cheap". America demands answers.
3. QUOTE: "Aruba, in fact, is one of the great success stories of our hemisphere particularly as a people who are committed to democratic ideals and economic self-determination. Moreover, there is no one in our region who believes that any government official in Aruba or in any other Caribbean country would be engaged in protecting the wrongdoing of any individual citizen while risking the entire national economy."
It is true that Aruba is a great success story. However, if you truly believe that no Aruban official would jeopardize the national economy in the way you sugegst, consider the following:
Between 1986 and 1992 the Cuntrera and Caruana families of Italy- both known Mafia families who specialize in money laundering- acquired 60 per cent of Aruba through investments in hotels, casino's and manipulating the election campaign of the Prime Minister at that time. Furthermore, in 1996 Aruba was slated for full independence from the Netherlands, which would mark an end to status aparte.
However, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and even Venezuela pressured the Netherlands to postpone this move due to concerns of growing organized crime money laundering and drug smuggling through Aruba. Aruba is one of the few remaining Caribbean islands that has not honored the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty of 1986 in regards to sharing information about possible money laundering activities with partners in the United States. In fact, the very tourism industry that thrives in Aruba actually offers additional possibilities to re-invest drug profits in the form of casinos, nightclubs, hotels, and resorts.
Aruba is also a known drug smuggling haven, due in large part to the many free trade zones therein. There are many documented examples of large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana passing through Aruba. In fact, so many examples exist that the Drug Enforcement Agency of the U.S. can quote how much herion sells per kilo in Aruba ($23,000 USD), how much cocaine sells for ($4,500 USD), and how much a kilo of marijuana costs in Aruba ($2,000 USD). The DEA should know; they maintain a forward operating location in Aruba.
You claim that no politician would jeopardize the island's economy to protect anyone. That is simply not true; in fact, given the situation, it is absolutely naive to think this. First, the Dutch overlords of Aruba have no interest in the welfare of the common, native Aruban. It is a well-known fact that the Dutch bourgeoisie in Aruba have a well-entrenched and exclusive community seperate from the greater picture of life in Aruba. Incidentally, a Dutch acquaintance of mine tells me that this exact same condition exists in the Netherlands. Second, the criminals who own 60% of Aruba are far more powerful and dangerous than the formal government. It is a condition that exists throughout the Third World, sadly.
4. QUOTE: "We are confident that wise counsel from your good offices to those individuals and officials regarding these international matters would prove helpful in preventing these troublesome developments."
You do not seem to understand the full extent of seperation of powers that the United States enjoys. The U.S. State Department has not yet officially sanctioned the boycott, but there is absolutely nothing to prevent any number of governors, Congressmen and women, and private citizens from supporting the boycott. In fact, freedom of expression is ultimately the basis of the entire U.S. Constitution. Not even the President of the United States himself has the power or authority to 'blow the whistle' on Governor Riley or anyone else who chooses to support the boycott, even if they are in public office themselves. In fact, no amount of governmental displeasure can prevent popular opinion from forming in the United States, as the many antiwar protests during the Vietnam era prove.
In short, if the typical American believes Aruba is dangerous and corrupt, then Aruba is already doomed to become another Haiti. I predict that in time other Caribbean nations will be quick to distance themselves from Aruba to avoid not only guilt by association but also to reap the benefits of Aruba's dying tourism economy.
Thank you for your time and attention. I welcome, but do not expect, reply letters from each branch office.
Dan L., College Station, Texas, U.S.A.
FERIA MULTICUTURAL
