Posted on 11/09/2005 7:29:11 AM PST by smartin
AMSTERDAM — The government of Aruba wants US President George W. Bush to intervene to stop a tourist boycott of the autonomous Dutch island in the Caribbean.
Alabama governor Bob Riley called for a nationwide travel boycott of Aruba because he accuses the island authorities of not fully cooperating in the search for missing Alabama school graduate Natalee Holloway (18).
Natalee's mother, Beth Holloway-Twitty, joined Riley for the announcement of the boycott. Riley asked his fellow governors to join him in urging the boycott of Aruba, CNN reported on Tuesday. "There are no other alternatives to get Aruban authorities to take this as seriously as they should," he said. Holloway disappeared on 30 May while on holiday in Aruba with classmates. Extensive searches have failed to find her. The police think she was murdered.
A Dutch teenager and two Surinamese brothers are believed to have been the last people with Holloway prior to her disappearance. The three young men were held in custody for some time before being released without a breakthrough in the case.
The parliament on Aruba went into emergency session after the boycott call. Afterwards Prime Minister Nelson Oduber said Aruba wanted the US President to intervene.
"Aruba is not Cuba, North Korea or Iraq. We are friends with America. Most tourists come from the United States and we work together to combat drugs criminality and money laundering," Oduber said angrily.
He wants Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot to seek clarification on the issue from the American Embassy in The Hague. Aruba's representative in Washington will raise the matter directly with the US government. "We want to know if Bush supports this boycott or not," Oduber said.
Tourism figures for the months after Holloway's disappearance do not show a drop in the number of American's visiting the island. Mirna Jansen of Aruba's tourist board noted that US citizens did not appear to be following through on their claims to be less inclined to come to the island..
They should not boycott Aruba, the fact that the Aruban Officials *Botched* the case has nothing to do with the country's tourism. If you are an American in a foreign Country, you need to be extra careful and try and protect yourself at all costs.
I feel very bad for the Holloway family but it's a bit much now, Natalie is more than gone and this should give other young girls to be a bit more careful on what and how they do things in a dangerous world.
Greta is overboard with Natalie's mother and they need to let this rest IMHO.
I think I got everyone - PING
I sure hope he supports it! Their handling of this case is beyond ridiculous.
President Bush should reply that since individual states cannot set foreign policy for the federal government, the boycott is unofficial, much like the boycott of French goods in the run up to the war in Iraq, and therefore not in the realm of federal control.
I'm sorry about what happened to Nataleee and what her family is going rhough. However, I've yet to hear her parents say "Yep, we were stupid and let our teenager go to a foreign island without enough chaperones and drink on top of it". While the Aruban police had no doubt throughly screwed up this investigation, I would like to hear the parents take some responsiblity for allowing their teenage daughter to go on this trip!
That's right.
Boycott or not, would anyone in their right mind go to Aruba? Let their kids go? Can Bush make people go??
Americans who go to Mexico are not thinking straight.
But if a government pretends to be a "happy island" but then we find out they can kill us with impunity, why should we go? I maintain there are plenty of other good people around the world who deserve our money just as much as the Arubans.
These countries need to be looking at tourists as Sacred Cows, now Milk Cows. To lay hands on a tourist without their expressed permission should be grounds for, at the least, a serious summary beating.
Fine, go!
Bush should say nothing, that would say a lot.
I don't think many people know enough facts to know whether the Aruba government has botched the investigation, is covering up, etc. A boycot should be a last resort as throwing the US weight around when the small island depends so much on our tourist dollars will not make us many friends. On the other hand I would support a boycot if there is evidence that the Aruba government is purposefully screwing things up.
wait till the cruise ships stop stopping by....then ask
Doogle
""Tourism figures for the months after Holloway's disappearance do not show a drop in the number of American's visiting the island."" In which case, WHY are they complaining???
I disagree. This is the family's only leverage and I am behind their decision.
Yes, it is!
I like your governor too. It's a ballsy thing to do. The states do not make national law, it's just an announcement. More power to him.
I think he should back the boycott.
I'm sorry to be rough, but it really doesn't matter what you think people should or shouldn't do. They will do as they please, and if it does not please them to go to the happy island, if they hear the name and go "oh, the place that young girl disappeared, I don't want to go there", then that's exactly what they'll do. If that's unfair, so was their treatment.
I am not aware that Bob Riley gets to set policy on US citizens travel decisions for all the 50 states. In fact, I'm 100% positive he does not. He certainly does not influence my travel choices. I had already made up my mind never to go to Aruba but it was months before Riley made his pitch.
I don't think Aruba has any business trying to involve the president and he should not even respond to their plea. The president does not control the state governors...if Aruba has a problem with Riley, they should address him.
They have stated publicly that that will come later. Now is the time to find their daughter.
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