Friday, March 14th, 2008
Message for my American readers
Poentje Castro, a television reporter in Aruba, made a sneak recording of a private conversation with Patrick van der Eem, the insider in the Natalee Holloway case who recorded the confession of Joran van der Sloot during an undercover camera operation. The temptation to slyly record a private conversation with the man who is now famous in Holland and the USA for recording a criminal confession must have been just too much to resist.
However, his enthusiasm was to get the better of him. Keeping one camera rolling after the granted interview, the reporter forgot that you have to ask clear questions, and the answers – as the reporter now claims – should throw a different light on the case. In that sense the reporter failed. This was aggravated by biased editing of his material.
Both the aired preview and Castro himself were already facing heavy criticism on the front pages of Aruba’s newspapers. Due to the leading questioning and “clumsy” edits, the Aruban broadcaster decided not to air the complete interview, but rather fade the channel to black. Over the years, Castro has become known for his firm belief that Joran van der Sloot is not guilty, and currently fosters the speculative opinion that Joran must have made his confession up.
Due to the ongoing hype of the Natalee Holloway case in the Netherlands, the Dutch press unfortunately reported several of these suggestive statements, under the misconception that they represented hard news.
According to the Dutch translation from the original Papiamento (Aruba’s native tongue), Patrick says: “But I know who dumped the body in the sea…” in one fragment of the private conversation. While this hit the headlines, it is clear that Van der Eem was speculating, in a similar way to someone who says: “But I know that the New York Yankees will win the Superbowl this year”. Van Der Eem has a private opinion about who assisted Joran van der Sloot, but not the actual knowledge.
In another fragment that made headlines as hard news, Van der Eem is reported to have said: “because I already know him (Joran) for so many years”. However, at the end of the same sentence, he states that he knows Joran in flesh and blood only “for seven months” for the duration of the undercover operation plus aftermath. What he in fact says in the first part is that “he had already heard of him (Joran) for so many years”, as have so many of us since Natalee’s disappearance.
When Van der Eem tries to explain to the reporter that he gave the media the same information as he gave the police as a witness, the reporter edits the fragment in such a way that suggests Van der Eem paid the media and the police, which is patently complete nonsense, but has nevertheless been reported as a scoop by some Dutch media.
The above gives a clear impression of the lack of editorial and translational integrity of the recording of the private conversation, of the interview and of those fragments that have been broadcast. The clumsy translation from the Papiemento added further to this canard.
Castro has been attempting to sell his TV interview to numerous networks, both in the Netherlands and the USA. Before the broadcast, he also made an offer for Van Der Eem to buy the tapes, which was declined outright by his spokesman. Mr. Schouten: “He didn’t mean the costs to copy a DVD or for stamps. Mr. Castro wanted to receive a fee for the tapes. That’s like giving candy to a child that misbehaves. I have requested his lawyer now formally to send me these recordings from the first to the last second without any editing or cuts.”
Click to enlarge
March 14th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Vicki said:
Castro had an agenda and it backfired. I look forward to blog updates and an English version of the book. Your efforts are appreciated, Patrick!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Jamie said:
Peter and Patrick, We were so thrilled to see your blog for Patrick, in the quest to find the truth concerning Natalee Holloway. We are able to read your whole blog in English, after putting all of the pages through the Google translator. I want to post that link for other American readers, if they too, want to read what you write. It is located here.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpatrickvandereem.nl%2F
It was kind and thoughtful for you to take the time and write to the American people as you did, to inform us what is REALLY going on and being said. We had already figured out most of what this Mr. Castro, was trying to do but to have you confirm this is very appreciated by us.
Why some people keep trying to place the blame of Natalee’s disappearance on anyone and everyone else, other then the ones responsible, is beyond us.
Patrick (and Peter De Vries) are among our growing list of Heroes, along with Mr. John Silvetti of Marine Surveys, LLC., who is the owner of the ship, “R/V Persistence”, and Mr. Louis Schaefer Jr. of Underwater Expeditions, who privately has funded close to 2 million, of his OWN money, to conduct this deep water search, off of the coast of Aruba since last November. ALL of the crew members of the Persistence are our heroes, also. Kyle Kingman, Greg Landry, Erik McGuire, Agiosat and Wilkens Weather Service and so many more, wonderful, dedicated, and unselfish people. Most of the men have been away from their families for Christmas, Birthdays and other holidays, Please check out their updates aboard the ship here.
http://nholloway.blogspot.com/
Last, but not least, is another hero of ours. Tim Miller with Texas Equusearch located in Dickinson, TX. He started this search team when his daughter Laura, went missing several years ago. His company is a non profit company working through donations only. He and his team have searched for hundreds of missing people, through out the U.S. and abroad. They have located the remains of missing people and reunited so many others with their loved ones, who were just missing. They work in conjunction with the local law enforcements and FBI. I could not count how many times Tim Miller and his team (TES) have been to Aruba, looking for Natalee.
The search water team is going back to Aruba this summer. (They just came back home this week for the first time in months) For now, they have reached the end of their financial funding and they also are beginning a new phase to their search. They still have about 125 “targets” they have located through the equipment they did have on board. This next trip will be made with a different type of ship and equipment with more ROV dives and they are going to be doing a lot more diving straight to these sites. A lot of wonderful and caring people are right now, in the process of helping them collect donations for this summer trip back to Aruba. If anyone of your readers OR someone, you might know that could and will help, it would be greatly appreciated. We just want to help this family bring Natalee back home to Alabama, USA. She COULD be in one of these 125 targets that they have located already. We will NOT give up on Natalee Ann Holloway.
PLEASE, any donations need to be sent to:
Attention: For Natalee Holloway Search
Texas Equusearch Office:
4013 FM 517, Suite B
Dickinson, Texas 77539
P. O. Box 395, Dickinson, Texas 77539
Office: (281) 309-9500
Fax: (281) 534-6719
Toll Free: (877) 270-9500
Email: donate@texasequusearch.org
Website is:
http://www.texasequusearch.org/donate.html
Peter, you have also been added to our list of heroes, because you want to help Patrick do the right thing, by helping Natalee’s family and friends. Truth and answers are ALL any of us want. They deserve this and Natalee deserves justice.
Thank you Peter and thank YOU, Patrick. We commend you for what you have done. I am thankful for all of the Dutch and Aruba citizens and their friendships, we have made along this journey.
ONE person has brought all of us together and that IS Natalee. We just need to all come together and continue trying, to bring the one or ones who took her from us and bring them to Justice.
PLEASE feel free to come and visit our forum. We would be honored to have either OR both of you, stop by. Remember Patrick, you ARE our HERO.
Sincerely,
Jamie
Please e-mail me if you have any questions, okay? Talk to you SOON!
From a member of http://www.blogsfornatalee.com
http://blogsfornatalee.com/forums/
March 14th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
M said:
Geweldig dat er nu ook een engelse tekst wordt gegeven; zijn velen blij mee (ik ook; scheelt mij veel vertalen voor Amerikaanse vrienden ;-)….)
Keep up the good work!
March 14th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Kyle Kingman said:
Patrick,
Glad you made it back home safe. Keep a clear mind and a clearer conscience. Stay the course.
Kyle Kingman
Geophysical Engineer
RV Persistence
March 15th, 2008 at 2:21 am
dennisintn said:
keep giving them hell, patrick. and thanks a million for all you and peter have done to bring the truth about the sloots into the sunlight.
dennisintn
March 15th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Bladerunner said:
Patrick, I commend you for starting this blog and for helping bring to light what many have known all along regarding the coverup in Aruba.
March 15th, 2008 at 5:30 am
kayjay said:
Patrick
Thanks for all you have done. To all of us, and there are very many, who want to see JoranvanderSloot (and his father) brought to justice, you are indeed a hero.
PLEASE KEEP TRYING TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO HELP,..AND VERY BEST WISHES FOR SUCCESS WITH YOUR BOOK.
GOD BLESS YOU
KJ
March 15th, 2008 at 5:58 am
dihannah1 said:
God Bless you for clearing that up to those who may believe the lies! We know the truth and the reporter obviously made a fool of himself. Unfortunately, the media everywhere, tends to only report on partial facts, not the whole facts, which can make a HUGE difference in any story.
Peter is a huge hero in the US and as a member of ScaredMonkeys would LOVE to have him come speak with with us. He has our utter and total respect for his hard work and sacrifice he made.
As soon as you mention the name Castro, that says it all. You know how unpoplular he is here in the US as well as his own country and across most of the world!
I would love to personally invite you both to ScaredMonkeys.com for some intelligent conversations and gathered facts gathered over 2 yrs. You may be shocked at some of what we do have!
Thank you posting in English and sharing the truth! Not for us supporters, but those who may not be in the know.
March 15th, 2008 at 7:06 am
sirensong said:
Patrick, thank you and Peter for your hard work in bringing this psychopath down!! God bless you all and your lovely families. You are making the world a safer place for our girls! We at Scared Monkeys are behind you 100%, and know what you have done has brought Natalee’s victimization and Aruba’s corruption to the forefront. Take care of yourself and stay safe! I hope you come over to the forum and talk with us sometime!
March 16th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Angela said:
Thank you for this “English” clarification. It is very considerate of you to go this “extra step” for us and it is appreciated.
I was very intrigued when the news of your tapes (of Joran) first became known that Guido Wever’s attorney jumped front-and-center against you, Peter, and the admissability of the tapes. Interesting he felt such a need to make such a noise. Maybe he knows something about his client… Guido… that hasn’t been disclosed by big-mouth Joran. At least … not yet.