Page 6
Chapter: seven Russ & Dee Fine continued . . .
|
Another pressure group, this time out of Oregon, is calling for a complete boycott of Aruba. "The only appropriate response for the US to make to Aruban authorities is to impose a stringent tourism boycott until a more competent, informative, cooperative investigation into the disappearance, and probable homicide, of Natalee Holloway is instituted," a statement said. The fallout stems from the fact that many are of the view that the authorities here are not doing enough to "crack" the case. Holloway's mother in speaking to the press recently said she would soon begin to think that the authorities are seeking to protect three young men (one the son of a judge-in-waiting) who were last seen with her daughter. Police had earlier said that a confession was made, with one of the suspects leading lawmen to the scene. No arrests were made and the authorities did not comment further on that statement, choosing only to say that they were at a "critical" point in their investigations. Caribbean Net News has confirmed the presence of a seven-member team of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the island which has a population of just over 97,000 people. An FBI source said the organization was invited as observers and have only been allowed to perform minimal roles. On Tuesday the authorities launched a new search with police and dog teams searching a certain beachfront. The authorities also made a "sweep" of a mangrove swamp. Caribbean Net News has also learnt that there is a 'shark's den' on one side of the island and FBI agents have developed an interest in the area. The sharks are reportedly fed daily in that location to keep tourists safe on the other side. The case of the missing teen has brought media houses from all across the globe to Aruba but the authorities are unhappy with the negative publicity the situation has generated as hundreds of visitors have cancelled tours to the island once billed as a Caribbean safe spot. |
Page 7
Chapter: seven Aruba PM Says Investigation Will Continue
The prime minister of Aruba said Monday that the investigation into the disappearance of a U.S. teen “will not cease” despite the weekend release of the three suspects.
Official statement from Aruba
Dutch suspect in Holloway case leaves Aruba
September 5, 2005
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) — A Dutch suspect in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager left Aruba to attend college Monday, while the country's leader pledged the investigation "will not cease" despite the release of the three suspects.
Joran van der Sloot, who said he spent time with Natalee Holloway before she disappeared, returned to college in Holland.
By Margarete Wever, The News via AP
One of them, Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch youth who has acknowledged spending the evening with Natalee Holloway before her disappearance but denied any wrongdoing, left the island to attend college in Holland.
Van der Sloot is allowed to leave the Caribbean island but must remain in Dutch territory under terms of his release.
Prime Minister Nelson Oduber, who has previously said Aruban authorities made mistakes in the early part of the Holloway investigation, added that he could appreciate the "dismay" of the missing teen's mother.
"But, the case is not concluded. And we will continue to demand that the search for answers into what happened to Natalee will not cease," Oduber said in a statement released Monday.
The remarks from the prime minister, who is running for re-election this month, are the first since the release Saturday of van der Sloot, 18, and two Surinamese brothers.
Van der Sloot's mother, Anita, pleaded for the media to leave him alone.
"He's a good boy. It's enough," she told The Associated Press. She also expressed sympathy for Holloway's family in the telephone interview.
"I pray for Natalee and the Holloway-Twitty family and I'm still convinced she is alive," she said.
Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, left Aruba for her home in Mountain Brook, Ala. on Sunday, saying she had "exhausted all my avenues" after pressuring authorities since shortly after the teen disappeared on the final day of a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island.
Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot and the two brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe early on May 30. The three young men were released on condition they remain available to police for questioning.
Natalee's family did not take any of this well
As one might expect the news that all three of the suspects were being released did not bring feelings of comfort to Natalee's family. What they had been lead to believe during the months prior no one really knows. Based on the way the media covered this case and the news of August one can believe they expected an entirely different outcome at the hearing for Joran van der Sloot. Reactions were heated and the situation would soon escalate.
Natalee Holloway, Boycott of Aruba - 7
With the release of all three suspects, a boycott was called for. A boycott that some still feel is going on two years later. by Jan BrennanPause scroll with cursor
Gallery menu:
Search entire book
Comment to author
Click here tomake observations
Style choices:
