NO JUSTICE FOR NATALEE

Five years ago Joran van der Sloot and his friends caused the disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway. In the days and weeks afterwards, Joran's father Paul acted as accesory to the crime by helping his son cover-up his involvement, and likely was instrumental in fogging-over the haphazard and apathetic investigation by Aruban and Dutch authorities.

Now van der Sloot senior has passed away, and with it any hope of ever finding out what that man did to protect his repulsive and despicable son.

[Repulsive and despicable:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2008/11/joran-van-der-sloot-and-women-flesh.html
'Nuff said.]



HIDING THE TRUTH

Quote: "Peter R. de Vries heeft met gemengde gevoelens gereageerd op het bericht. "Over de doden niets dan goeds, maar ik ontkom er toch niet aan om te zeggen dat ik er van overtuigd ben dat vader Van der Sloot zijn zoon behulpzaam is geweest bij het toedekken van diens geheim", aldus de Vries op zijn website."

[Translation: Peter R. de Vries has reacted with mixed emotions to the news. "Naught but good about the dead, but I cannot avoid stating that I am convinced that father van der Sloot assisted his son in hiding his secret", according to de Vries on his website."]

Source:
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/article6009537.ece?pageNumber=2
[Peter R. de Vries: Geheim nu mee in graf - 'secret now to the grave']


The van der Sloot family, as well-to-do members of the Dutch uppercrust, lived the good life. Van der Sloot senior died while at play in an exclusive neighborhood: "De 57-jarige jurist werd woensdagavond rond 21.45 uur lokale tijd tijdens het tennissen op villapark 'Tierra del Sol' op Aruba onwel. Een ambulance was snel ter plaatse, maar reanimatiepogingen mochten niet meer baten."

[Translation: 'The 57 year old jurist became ill Wednesday around 9:45 PM local time while playing tennis at villapark 'Tierra del Sol' in Aruba. An ambulance quickly arrived, but reanimation efforts proved fruitless.']

Source:
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6007822/___Vader_Joran_van_der_Sloot_overleden___.html?p=19,1
[Vader Joran van der Sloot overleden - 'Father (of) Joran van de Sloot deceased']



GOOD RIDDANCE

This turn of events no doubt pleases many in the Netherlands, as the facts of the case are now even less likely to ever be revealed, and Dutch law-enforcement can happily claim his fortuitous demise as an excuse. Had the murdered girl not been an American with a loud and persistent mother, her death would have excited no interest whatsoever, and the case would have been dropped within hours. After all, well-connected burgers cannot be accused of malfeasance without upsetting the societal apple-cart, especially in a tourist goldmine, where any sex-crimes and violence might frighten away the foundation of the economy.

Most of the comments underneath both articles in the Telegraaf are remarkably cold towards the victim (Natalee Holloway) and criticize Mr. De Vries for his statement. Several express condolence to the van der Sloot family, and regret that Mr. van der Sloot died at so young an age (57).

I cannot help but feel that the Dutch don't give a damn about the girl (who was an American, which is manifestly not a virtue in the Netherlands) and that in many ways they envy the van der Sloot's lifestyle and access to sexual exploitation. Certainly Jordan was a hero to many who in the months after Natalie's disappearance refused to believe that he had anything to do with the case and insisted that the girl deserved what she got.
Peter de Vries by his doggedness in pursuing the case showed that not all Dutchmen are swine, and that, remarkably, there are indeed decent people with a keen regard for justice in the Netherlands.

At least the van der Sloot family can bury their dead; Joran and his dad made sure that the Holloways will never have that priviledge. The truth about what Joran and his drinking buddies did to Natalee, and how the corrupt and incompetent Arubans coddled the van der Sloots and covered the trail, was buried long ago.