Kidnapping on Bonaire

[ScubaSteve]

Liz, your posts are always well thought out and very easy to read and agree with. I am only speaking for myself however I am not making decisions based on what Harrie or anyone else reports. All I ask is allow us, the tens of thousands (I am guessing on the number) of divers that visit your wonderful island each year, to have the very same information that you hear/receive publicly and allow us to do the same thing you, islanders, are entitled to do....interperet the information for ourselves. It is being kept in the dark which, IMHO, does more damage to me, the tourist. If I feel like any information is witheld, then I get nervous and less trusting and that will impact my travel decisions and plans much quicker. If the information is shared as a "not necessarily factual report but just so you know", then I can at least know what is going on for when I travel there. A person's opinion is not needed but the articles that are published, the discussion had on the news etc.,....those can be valuable.

Thank you for posting and thanks to Harrie, I feel like I know what you know and will alertly enjoy my coming trip to your fair home.

 

[dvrliz1]

Steve,

Thank you! I definitely agree with you that all should be informed. BUT I also feel that the posts that are missing are the other pertainent information, such as the incredible response that was made once it was realized she was missing. I mean the coast guard plan was all over the place. It passed over my head over 50 times during the day! The areas of the island where she was said to be abducted, and where they think they went were packed with police walking in the brush and dirt roads looking for anything. Also, the fact that they brought in so many specialist quickly that are not available on Bonaire, as well as the "sniffing dogs".

Harrie's posts are perfectly fine, and yes, to be left to interpretation by all readers on SB, as it should be. IMHO, it is important to post ALL information available, so that informed decisions can be made.

Once again, just my 2 cents....

 

[Bob]

I hate to say this but the people who could really learn from the Natalee Holloway case is the investigating authorities. I believe that case is still unsolved.

Natalee's murderers will never be brought to justice. The Three Stooges could have run a more credible investigation than the Aruban and Dutch Police. I hope this family doesn't have to go through what the Holloway family did and I pray this young girl is found safe and sound. almtree: Bob

 

[scubaaaronh]

Liz, Steve good stuff i agree with both of you. I just dont like the idea on bonaire talk that if it will tarnish the islands rep than sweep it into a closet and don't talk about it. I hope for the young girls release and i hope she is still alive. But with the news coming in i can see what can happen in an area as far as response to the crisis. If it looks like things are being handled fine than that makes me feel safer traveling to a place.

Liz where did this happen at on the north or south side of the island? from one report it sounded like it was by the plant up there by you?

side note to liz Evan is doing great he is now 4 months old. We were going to try and come back spring of 2009 but not sure if that can happen right now. Oh yeah how are you feeling after the last surgery?


thanks again for the information.

 

[harmoni]

We heard on the radio:

The suspect of the kidnap of Marlies van der Kouwe, Ryan P. has got a prolongation of 30 days longer in custody.
Which means that the proofs police have against him are good enough to keep him longer. In that time the investigation will go on to find more hard proof.
As you probably know Dutch (Antillean) rules are slightly different from US rules.
It is an important point they've reached now. If the investigator magistrate would have had the idea the points against Ryan weren't strong enough, he would have got free again, today.

There is lots of information upon this case in all kind of newspapers, but none of them really bring new information. And many of the articles tell contradictory information.
As soon as there is new information I will tell you again.

Harrie

P.S.: Welcome to this board, Don, you are a symbol for Bonaire. Although I think you have chosen the wrong thread to post in.....

 

[harmoni]

A translation from an article in "De Telegraaf", a Dutch newspaper, known to be really good in financial things, but the normal reports have a high Gossip-%.

It is partial new and interesting information.

Police of Bonaire is searching since several days for a black car that perhaps plays an important role in the disappearance of Marlies van der Kouwe.

They also asked the help of the local population for the disappeared bag of Marlies.
The pharmacy-assistant cycled with a handbag home, but this bag hasn't been found after the kidnap. In the bag were supposedly her wallet and en GSM-phone.
According to friends of Marlies the phone has never been switched on after her leaving that evening. Also the information of the car is taken seriously. The detectives have always wondered how Marlies could have been transported on a scooter not voluntary.
Police got information that a second person was involved in the kidnap. Further more a family-member of Ryan Pieters would know the total details of what had happened.
The kidnapping of the Dutch woman, now one-and-a-half week ago starts to ask the toll with the flown-in parents. Witnesses saw her mother crying intensively when leaving the hotel. Painfully enough, she was accommodated in the same hotel as where the suspect worked.
Also in the investigation team of over 60 detectives there is tension. Between the detectives of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire the differences of how to do the job are growing. Especially with the Dutch police-people there is irritation about the approach and the lack of professionalism, as you can hear from their angry discussions in the local restaurants and cafe's.
They seemed to be unaware about how small the Bonaire community really is.
On Bonaire the investigation is also obstructed by the many family-ties. To prevent that sensitive information from the police to family and possible suspects leaks, not all detectives are completely informed about the progress of the investigation.
That necessary approach also brings tension between the Antillean and Dutch investigators. The Dutch contribution and direction are very sensitive on the island.

 

[dvrliz1]

Aaron,

The response is great, and things are being handled, maybe not as swiftly in other places, but they are being handled. As Harrie says, they would have never held him another 30 days if they didn't have very, very strong circumstantial evidence that he was involved. This is a good thing, that he is in jail for 30 more days and that they have more evidence.

The "abuction" happen just south out Hato on Kaya Debrot between the major resorts and GRI. The young lady lived in Hato. To be honest, where it happened in this case does not matter, or make any area safe or not safe. It is just where it happened.

Harrie, there is a fairly big difference in the way the judicial system works here and in the states. First here you have to have enough evidence to completely prove your case. Here you are tried by judge(s) and not a jury of your peers. In the states, with the evidence that the police here may have (circumstantial evidence), the suspect may be able to be tried and found guilty by a group of his peers if this was in the USA. There have been cases in the states that the evidence was so overwhelming that people have been found guilty, without have the victim's remains.

Also, and please correct me if I am wrong, Marlies worked as stagiere at the Botika, as a pharmacist assistant, but the article you posted states that the parents where housed at the hotel that she worked at. This is type of things that I am talking about, and why we all have to be careful of what we read and believe. Do we really know which one it is?

Aaron, please bring Evan with you, I would LOVE to babysit!!!!! Hugs and hope to see you in the Spring!

Liz

 

[harmoni]

Hi Liz!

I stated before:

Witnesses saw her mother crying intensively when leaving the hotel. Painfully enough, she was accommodated in the same hotel as where the suspect worked.

Perhaps my English/American is so bad, but I'll try to explain. I wanted to say that the mother was living in the same hotel (Plaza) as where the suspect (Ryan P.) had a job.
Clear like this.?
So Marlies did not have a job at Plaza.

She had a job as pharmacist-assistant at the Botika (pharmacy). In the media it was stated in the beginning she was a stagiare/trainee at the Botika, but the owner of the Botika stated clearly she was working as an assistant, not as a trainee.

I hope I have cleared up things now. Thanks for your advice that I have to be careful with what I write, yes, of course. Be also careful with what you read......

BTW, yesterday was stated on the radio that the suspect would stay 30 days longer in prison, yesterday evening they said his detention was prolongated with 7 days.
I don't know what it will be.

Harrie

 

[Seb]

What do you mean by that, Dan? Where is that happening?

Spoken for truth.

Looks like they want to limit posts on other boards as well

 

[Bob]

What do you mean by that, Dan? Where is that happening?

September 30th, 2008, 06:48 PM #22
phelana
Regular Member

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Profile InfoJoin Date: May 2007
Location: Cape Cod and Bonaire
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I do not believe this thread does ANYTHING but create confusion and further intrigue in a serious and sad situation. Out of respect for the victim and her family why prolong this? We who reside on island hear a lot of this and that and do not feel a need to inform everyone. It's not our place. When an outcome is official THEN the police report or press release should be made public. This has NOTHING to do with diving. It's a sad crime without any relation to a tourist or dive situation.


No board including BT should allow this meaningless thread. Respect the family and wait for an official reply report.
Ann Phelan
Caribbean Wind & Sun Vacations--Your Caribbean Travel Specialist

Welcome to ScubaBoard, BT Mod Seb. Please read the last sentence of the above post closely and maybe it will answer your question. I fail to understand why some residents of Bonaire seem to think that anyone who doesn't live on the Island has any right to any information about the current goings on with this poor girl, especially when tourism is the lifeblood of your economy. Don't you think people coming to Bonaire have a right to have every piece of information avaible in order to better protect themselves during their stay on the Island? You see Seb, most of the people who advocate censorship in this mattter, and crime on Bonaire in general, have a vested interest in people continuing to visit Bonaire. That makes them real small in my eyes, because these same people are putting their personal interests, ahead of the safety of incoming visitors. In my view that is being dishonest, and in my book that's a crime. almtree: Bob