Topic : 09/15 The Disappearance of Natalee

i can't imagine what is more horrible then losing a child.  what i find more horrible is that we have not heard anything more about what is going on in this mothers life.  is there no more news on the search for her daughter. alot of mothers out there are waiting to hear, they have daughters who are thinking about traveling and we as mothers don't want them to  until we hear more

     Beth and Natalee Holloway (and their family) are just as much victims of Hurricane Katrina as the people of the Gulf Coast, especially those who lost family members to violence there. If the "happy island" of Aruba thinks that Americans have not noticed that as soon as the world's media was focused elsewhere, that they released these slimeballs from custody, they can just go "check their foot" as my father in law used to say. We know exactly what they've been up to all along-a GIANT COVERUP! Anyone, American or otherwise, who goes there, knowing what happened in this case, is not only falling for this crap, but actually making the statement that it was perfectly okay for Aruban authorities to treat a tourist this way. Wise up, folks! They only want your MONEY. They don't give a damn about YOU.  There are just too many other equally nice or better islands to vacation on. WHO NEEDS ARUBA and THEIR INCOMPENT POLICE DEPARTMENT and their nasty attitude.
    Beth, Jug and the rest of Natalee's family and friends, God be with you. You will be in our hearts and prayers until you find your answers.
    Julie and Jim
    Jacksonville, FL
   

There is enough room in all our hearts to reach out and help the survivors of Katrina, as well as, victims of crime, of missing persons, and victims of terrorism, and so forth. Like many, I have given money to various relief charities, Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc., and tomorrow I begin volunteering to help the survivors/evacuees of Katrina.I find the news of missing people and victims of crime very upsetting. It feels as though everyday we hear of another child, female, young mother and so forth, "is missing." It is aweful. Whether it is Natalee Holloway, Latoya Figuerora, Julie Popovich and countless others, my heart goes out to all of them. Although many of us feel helpless, thank goodness for Joe Mamanna and the fact he is helping Beth! [Dr. Phil I hope Joe will be included in your show] Just as he is helping the survivors of Katrina, just as he helped with the cases of the above mentioned "missing" and countless others!!!! No wonder they call him the Angel of Philly!! If you haven't heard of him, google search Joe Mamanna.Lastly, my thoughts and prayers are with everyone on this day, September 11th. I will never forget that day, never forget the courage of the NYPD, the fire fighters, every hero and brave soul, and will continue to pray for peace and compassion. IS ARUBA’S GOVERNMENT COVERING UP AGAIN??????Posted on 2005-07-01http://www.savesannicolas.com/articles.php?news_id=3 IS ARUBA’S GOVERNMENT COVERING UP AGAIN?????? The Minister of “Justice” in Aruba by the name of Rudy Croes has every opportunity to question the Holloway investigation to assure that there is justice in Aruba even against the people that he did favors for and those he received favors from (the Dutch judicial officials) . Aruba is in a very difficult situation and this is not because of the American press, the Holloway case and most definitely not because of a web site by the name of “to hell with Aruba.com.” Aruba is going through an extremely difficult period because of a very nasty and corrupt government that owes favors to the different departments of the judicial system. The current government in Aruba, MEP has serious problems with the Dutch justice department yet they can not take a stand and voice their concerns due to the favors that they received over the years. The MEP government is maliciously leaking out information to the press about the Dutch police commissioner Jan van der Straten instead of confronting him or any other member of the justice department to ensure that there is no cover up in the investigation of the Holloway case. The minister of justice, the political party MEP and the Dutch judges are portraying their impartiality by bringing in a judge from a different Island to rule over the case yet the officials that are preparing the investigation are all friends and family of the suspect. How impartial is this?? Those who are preparing the investigation/case have access to all declarations, forensic reports, suspects and suspects family. Several reports by the international press have proven that the van der Sloot family is very close to the investigating team (The Dutch prosecutors office) . The habitual partiality has been demonstrated in the past with several cases, one case in particular stands out. The case of Alexander Mathew against a Dutch government official, Ben Vocking whom now goes by the name of Ben King . In this particular case documents disappeared, forensic reports were over looked and witnesses were denied, these documents were in the favor of Alexander Mathew. Paul van der Sloot is a high ranking official in the judicial system and is close friends with Ben King, whom now works at the prosecution office. Mr. King was reportedly seen visiting Paul van der Sloot at his home when the Arubian police were performing a search of the van der Sloot residence. Mr. Mathew’s entire case was tampered with. Mr. King said that his friend Paul van der Sloot helped him in the Mathew case. How many cases has and will Paul van der Sloot help cover up?? Mathew was isolated for two years and eight months to ensure that the truth would not surface. The Arubian press and the minister of justice, Rudy Croes played a large roll in the defamation of his character to justify his isolation. Now that the truth has surfaced, certain politicians and senators have raised concern that this corruption will repeat itself in the Holloway case and justice will not be served. The minister of justice Rudy Croes is attacking Alexander Mathew, the politicians and the senators in the local newspapers based upon lies. The minister of justice is even accusing Mr. Mathew of owning the website “to hell with Aruba. Com”, this is a false accusation that is being supported by the Arubian newspaper “Bon Dia Aruba”. Mathew states that the government and the prosecution department is corrupt and is harming the Holloway family and the entire Arubian population. If the Holloway case had been investigated appropriately from the beginning it would have been resolved by now and Aruba would not still be suffering. The Holloway family must be aware of the corruption that encompasses the Arubian government and judicial system so that they can obtain the appropriate international aid to assist in the search for the truth, justice and most importantly their daughter Natalie. THE GOVERNMENT AND PROSECUTION OFFICIALS SHOULD OFFER TO TAKE A LIE DETECTOR TEST. Assure the world that there is no cover up in the Natalie Holloway case. Help clear Aruba’s name.

Surpressing San Nicolas And Its People: Discrimination Exposed Posted on 2005-06-14 http://www.savesannicolas.com/articles.php?news_id=1 Surpressing San Nicolas And Its People: Discrimination Exposed EAST GREENWICH, R.I./EWORLDWIRE/June 14, 2005 --- White pretty girl from Alabama, U.S.A. disappeared in Aruba May 30,2005 - Last seen with white Dutch boy belonging to a very powerful and influential family that is well-connected to the head of the heads of the justice department in Aruba. All evidence that could have been accumulated to keep the white suspect detained was ignored and overlooked solely because the white man's word weighs more than the black man's word. "If you are a white Dutch suspect in Aruba, you can easily be turned into a witness as long as you point your fingers to a black man/Arubian," says Edwardo Mathew. Mathew is uniquely suited to provide commentary on the situation. A native of Aruba who served a sentence at the KIA correctional facility in Aruba from 2001 to 2004, it is widely believed that Mathew was wrongfully convicted. His case is currently being heard before the European Court of Human Rights. The laws governing Aruba reflect a customary practice of unequal and discriminatory treatment reminiscent of the 1800's when blacks had no rights in society. "How can Natalee's family find justice in Aruba if there is no justice under the Arubian Dutch laws?" asks Mathew. "No man in a civilized country or island anywhere in the world should be held in prison for kidnapping and murder or any other crime by a public prosecutor behind closed doors - yet the public in Aruba is not allowed to receive information. Why?" The Dutch have most often attempted to portray their disposition as strong advocates of human rights, which stands in stark contrast to a legal system that can hold a suspect without bail for 116 days or more with little or no evidence in a four foot by four foot cell - without a mattress, accompanied by rat and cockroach infestation. The Dutch/ Arubian justice system permits cases to be heard behind closed doors, providing free reign by the public prosecutor to withhold and/or tamper with information. The Dutch legal system allows judges and prosecutors to function without checks and balances - rulings may be swayed in any direction or favor that suits them personally. "The world should be concerned about this mysterious case as it clearly poses a personal concern for the Dutch public prosecutors and friends," states Mathew. If there was a crime committed, the American family of Natalee Holloway is looking for justice and not for the innocent black or white man to pay for a crime he did not commit. "The overriding question is - can justice prevail in Aruba if those who are in charge of enforcing justice have a personal stake in the outcome?" adds Dr. Arianna Mathew, wife of Edwardo Mathew and American citizen. "The appropriate course of action would be for Prime Minister Nelson Oduber to step aside and permit the FBI to lead the investigation in full to prove to the world that Aruba is doing everything to seek equal justice as mistakes have already been made by initially releasing the three boys and holding the two black men." As the current government, MEP reportedly stated in the Arubian national media that the Dutch judges are not to be trusted. "We must remember that the Netherlands, 'The Dutch,' for personal reasons held onto their slave trade 15 years after it had been abolished by using this same Dutch legal system," concludes Dr. Arianna Mathew. "Based on the legal system's past patterns and history - can we trust this system now?"

http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138459&tid=aparubamissingteen&sid=37138459&mid=75346 Article on "to hell with aruba.com" - ARUBA ISSUE & LINKS #3 EVERYONE CHECK OUT THE ISSUES & LINKS & INFORMATION ON TOHELLWITHARUBA.COM A Smugglers' Paradise The Intercon Financial Bank on Aruba is represented by the law-firm Croes & Wever. One of the partners is former Minister of Justice Hendrik Croes. The firm's trust-company Arulex was implicated in setting up the bank. ""Yes, we are involved with that bank"," says Croes. ""We still handle all their legal affairs, but we don't know anything of their financial accounts"." (70) Hendrik Croes – a brother of the island's legendary leader, the late Betico Croes who guided Aruba to its semi-independent status in the Dutch realm – is one of the leading political figures on the island. He led several election campaigns for the MEP, now in the opposition. The Croes Family has been accused of ties with Cuntrera-Caruana. The Sicilian mafiosi payed for a trip of another brother, Rudy Croes (who succeeded Hendrik as Minister of Justice in a previous MEP government) as party secretary to a meeting of the Socialist International in Turkey. This has not been denied. Paolo Cuntrera visited the island regularly despite his expulsion in 1988. The government opposed his legal actions for re-admittance. But Hendrik Croes has to admit the procedures were not stainless. A blundering government lawyer, an official who signed a residence permit 'by mistake', meant that "de facto" Paolo Cuntrera was able to circulate freely on the island. According to Canadian police reports, in 1978, Pasquale Cuntrera owned the Holiday Inn Casino – although the registers indicated otherwise. ""At the start of 1980s the Cuntrera's were often at the Holiday Inn casino"," says a croupier. ""In 1989 they were there again, although they were ostensibly thrown of the island"." DEA agent David Lorino, the case-officer in Operation Wiseguy, claims that ""when the Cuntrera's moved to Venezuela they carried some 15 to 30 million dollars with them, which were invested in hotels in Caracas, but also on Curaçao and Aruba"." 71 The DEA had used the Miami-based Italian-born Venezuelan business man Raffaele Bellizzi to contact Pasquale Cuntrera. Before 1983 Bellizzi owned a shipping-company, but that year it went bankrupt because of the debt-crises in Venezuela. ""He told us that his ships transported narcotics and money from Caracas to Aruba and Europe","says Lorino. As mentioned before Canadian investigations show that the clan used Aruba as a trampoline for cocaine to North America. (72) According to Lorino, ""the names Cuntrera and Caruana were well known on the island"." Now nobody on Aruba wants to know that these gentle and well mannered Sicilians ever existed. ""Oh, but a lot of people knew them then","says Bianca de Mey, who set up the company "Investeringen Tweehonderd en Tien", which was the holding for a nightclub and pizzeria for the Cuntreras. The company now has nothing to do with them any more, she adds. The Cuntrera's must have felt at home on Aruba. The island has been a smugglers' paradise, since colonial times, when it was used to evade the Spanish trade monopoly. Whatever disagreements Arubans may have – and they have a lot – this is something they readily admit. Even Prime Minister Eman acknowledges ""it is an island of smugglers ... For years Aruba was the most important coffee exporter, while there is no coffee-plant to be found on the island"." Aruba is also the biggest exporter of Philip Morris cigarettes and every imaginable kind of whisky. On Aruba it is all imported and exported according to the rules. What they do at the other side on the South American mainland is not the problem of the islanders. Legal trade or contraband, the difference is thin. ""A lot of families became very rich with this trade","says Eman.

To Beth and the family and friends of Natalee, Good For You. Just as you are not giving up, we are not giving up either!!! Our thoughts and prayers have been with you and will remain with you. We pray and hope for the return of Natalee, safe and sound. Thank you so much Dr. Phil!!!! We will be watching your show on Thursday. Article in Bon Dia yesterday and posted on Scared Monkeys today:Mother of Natalee Holloway Moves Back to The United States, But Will Be in Aruba Every WeekORANJESTAD- Beth Twitty is back in Aruba, but tomorrow already she’ll go back to Alabama. Nevertheless, as she told American media, she’ll be coming to Aruba regularly to see what is happening with the investigation. Even more, it is her intention for her to come back every week.The mother of Natalee Holloway is disappointed in the judicial system of Aruba. She does not hide this thought, not even for the local press anymore. Beth Twitty says that based on the comments that she saw, declarations of the three suspects that she read, that she finds it totally impossible for a judge to suspend the detention of Joran van der Sloot and the siblings Satish and Deepak Kalpoe. Even more, the lady told Bon Dia Aruba that the suspects were set free, just when they were starting to talk against each other.Beth was met in her suite at the Wyndham Hotel, the suite that was her house for all these times. She is going to send the majority of her things back to Alabama, and she herself will return to Aruba “every week for a few days”, only with a suitcase. She already has a good understanding with the management of the hotel, who will keep on giving her accommodations.Mrs. Twitty said that she saw the documents signed pa the three suspects, where specifically Joran van der Sloot admitted to have had sexual relations with Natalee, while the youngster [Natalee] was going in and out of unconsciousness. This according to the mother of Natalee Holloway is sufficient to show that Joran had sexual relations with the youngster [Natalee] without her consent, and as such, she thinks Joran must be sentenced for this. “This is rape”, Mrs. Twitty said.The mother of the youngster of Birmingham, Alabama does not talk of murder , but she is convinced that a crime took place, based on the declarations of the the three suspects. “I can’t say with assurance that Joran killed her,but I think that I have enough motive to think this. And my lawyer said, that on September 1st, the suspects were not denying that a crime had been committed.Documents that she had access to, according to his own declaration, show that Joran van der Sloot changed his story at least 4 times, and not twice as he declared during his interview with Exclusive [local news show and news magazine –Arubagirl].Beth Twitty also says that she isn’t saying that Natalee didn’t drink alcohol during this trip. But “Natalee had the age to drink. She was 18 years old, and she didn’t break any laws Joran did break the law, by being in a night club, in a casino without having the age.”I’m Not Staying Quiet AnymoreBeth Twitty said that she has a lot of information and out of respect for the Investigative Corps, she didn’t talk. But now she has no trust anymore. For two weeks already, she has no contact with Karen Janssen, who also gave the order to Eric Soemers to avoid talking to the family of Natalee. “It was very hard to stay professional, and to keep informations confidential. But now I can’t say quiet anymore. Why was I protecting the integrity of this investigation?” the lady said, adding that the police ignored many aspects of this case, that eventually hindered the investigation. All these constant errors, make her think about a ‘cover-up’ and she is keeps on thinking this.The lady tells that where there were mistakes made, starting with her own declaration taken by the police, the night that they went to Joran’s house at Montanja. Beth Twitty tells that she signed a document of her declaration and trusted that everything would be right. The document was in Dutch. After a time she was able to get copies, and sent these to the U.S. to be translated. And when the translation arrived, three days later, she lady noticed that the declarations were not what she had given.Beth Twitty has heavy criticism against the Aruba judicial system, but does not know who to blame. She is aware that the judges make the decisions, but she thinks that there is inconsistencies in the documents, as it was the case in her own declarations, and these make it so that the judges took the decision to suspend the detention.On the other hand, both lawyer Anthony Carlo and Joran van der Sloot insist that there was not a change in declaration, except the first time when he lied that he left Natalee at the Holiday Inn Hotel. Also, Joran insists that he is innocent, and that he hopes that the investigation can go on so that he show that he is free of guilt.Pressure of the United StatesBeth Twitty stands on the fact that Aruba authorities took advantage of Katrina and its effects on the United States to let the three youngsters go, since it was known that the attention of the U.S. media would be on New Orleans and other areas. Just like she also criticizes the fact that the DTZ [Department of Technical Affairs] suddenly raised the price for a ’satellite up link’ from $800 to $4000. She feels that these were attempts of Aruba to chase the American press away.Also, she herself has received a call from one of the members of the Strategic Group (she did not mention specific names, but she did talk about John Paulie, Bob Dilella, and Steve Cohen), that asked her “what day will you finally leave Aruba.” This question created a determination that Twitty must keep on coming.And this time she has another group that will help her in her search, Joe Mamanna. Mamanna is a philanthropic millionaire, who believes in vengeance and said in the U.S., that “hell will come with him to Aruba.” When Beth Twitty was asked what she thinks this makes Arubans think, she answered: “I cannot comment on what other people think.”

I'm so happy to see Dr. Phil taking this one on!  I've kind of kept up on this story via Hannity and Colmes on Fox News.  They have had some good coverage, asked some tough questions, and have had many interviews.    

   

This story and facts related to this disappearance make me sick!!!!  I pray that Dr. Phil can help this family out.  

http://www.lostremote.com/archives/005685.html 

  

Aruba: Murder by numbers
As Coverage Mania of the Holloway story continues unabated, let's do some math. I know - we got into journalism precisely because we were told there would be no math. But let's do some anyway and answer empirically: Just how dangerous is that vicious, pirate-ridden, uncaring island of Aruba?

BY STEVE SAFRAN
LOST REMOTE MANAGING EDITOR

The population of Aruba is about 72,000 people. A conservative estimate of visitors in a given week is about 13,500. Total people on island at any given time? About 85,500.

Last year in Aruba there were two murders - possibly just one, depending on which stat you believe. We'll go with two anyway. No tourists were killed. That's a murder rate on Aruba of a little over 2 per 100,000, but we’ll call it an even 2. Or look at it this way: The Aruba murder rate is .0002.

Still, you can't go a minute without hearing about Natalee and you're worried. Maybe you're switching your vacation from Aruba to Jamaica. Bring some Kevlar. Murder rate: 32 per 100,000.

You'll be twice as safe in Puerto Rico as you would be in Jamaica. Still, it's eight times more dangerous than Aruba: 16 per 100,000 folks in Puerto Rico are going to meet an untimely end this year (with or without Greta Van Sustern caring).

If you're fine with 10 in 100,000 murders per capita, we can suggest Mexico, Estonia, Belize, the Dominican Republic and maybe Barbados during a bad year. Feel a little more secure in Costa Rica. Of your 100,000 friends, 99,994 won't get capped.

So, stick to the U.S. Virgin Islands. We run it. How bad could it be? Turns out you better leave behind a lot of clues if you're going there: 25 murders per 100,000. That's worse than ANY American city, save for New Orleans where shooting guns into the air is considered good, clean fun. The British Virgin Islands are more polite, but say “cheerio” to 11 per 100,000 chaps.

Screw it, you think, I'll just stay home. Now you're only three times as likely to be killed as if you went to Aruba, with the U.S. murder rate at about 6 per 100,000. The murder rate in New York City, from where Fox News constantly reminds us how dangerous Aruba is, was 7 per 100,000 people in 2002. And if your home is in, let's say, Alabama, up the murder rate to 7.5 per 100,000. Then wonder if one of your congressman will call for a boycott of your own state.

Obviously, there are safer places to vacation than Aruba. Go to Slovenia, Tunisia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia or Qatar and you're golden. Go to Canada, and you're as safe as you could be. Of course, it's colder than Aruba, but the murder rate is tiny. And it's much less likely your family will be pestered by Nancy Grace. She's from the south. She hates the cold.

I got a certain amount of hate mail regarding my last column on Aruba media insanity. (Ironically, Aruba Today's editor said she loved it.) One eloquent writer asked "Do you have a life?" I think it's pretty obvious the answer is "No, of course not. I work in news." One person asked, simply "What is your point?" Context. That's my point. I am not mocking this tragedy, nor the importance of it to the family. What I am so troubled by is a national media obsession that is making Aruba look as though it is run by the Sopranos. Before we ruin the Aruban economy, which is dependent on tourism, here is a little more context:

Natalee disappeared on May 30, 2005. Also on that date, five U.S. soldiers died in Iraq: Corp. Jeffrey B. Starr died in Ramadi, and SSGT. Casey Crate, Captain Derek Argel, Captain Jeremy Fresques and Major William Downes died in Jalawah.

There are currently 19 kids from Alabama listed as missing at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website. (2 are from before 1980, some are indeed "family abductions" or "runaways".)

In South Africa, two young tourists were murdered the day after Natalee went missing.

LaToyia Figueroa, a 24-year-old pregnant woman from South Philadelphia, has been missing since July. She is Black. There has been just about no media coverage (except for stories wondering why there's no media coverage). Contrast that with the non-stop madness surrounding Laci Peterson, a 27-year-old pregnant woman from Modesto, California, who was white.

35,000 children are forced to work as prostitutes just across the sea from Aruba, in Colombia.

It's unlikely you’ll be murdered in Aruba, and it’s even more unlikely the news will care. Of course, there are ways to skew the numbers. It turns out you can geometrically expand the odds of having your story covered if you’re a cute white girl with an articulate mother during a slow news cycle. This should generate a significant spike in ratings numbers; after all, that’s the only stat that really matters.

Sources:

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), International Comparisons of Criminal Justice Statistics 2001-Home Office Bulletin 12/03 http://www.ascotadvisory.com/News_Bulletin/9961.html

Georgia State U. Department of Criminal Justice Statistical Analysis Bureau: http://www.cjgsu.net/initiatives/HomRates-2004-05-14.htm
Iraq Casualties from Centcom.mil, via Iraq Coalition Casualty Count http://icasualties.org/oif/ Black America Web: http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/figueroa808
Colombia Journal Online: http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia111.htm

With assistance (and math help) from: Julia Renfro, Editor in Chief, Aruba Today; RD Sahl, Anchor, NECN: Jeff Gralnick, MSNBC; Tom Melville, Asst. ND, NECN Posted by Steve Safran on 08/16/05 | Link | Comments (15)