John Merryweather: At no moment did I defend Joran v.d. Sloot or the Kalpoe brothers
DIARIO Aruba
9/29/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN) --- Related to a press release yesterday “Merryweather wants to challenge Natalee’s mom?”, Mr. John Merryweather reacted yesterday by indicating that the contents of much of that article was based on the misinterpretation of his thoughts and that he will contest it.
He starts by explaining that in the first place, it goes without saying that he prays for the Twitty and Holloway families. “At this time, we also pray for Aruba because it is due to the Twitty family, who has asked for a boycott of tourism to Aruba, against citizens who have nothing to do with what happened to Natalee, sadly she was last seen on her trip to Aruba.
He continues to explain that Aruba has a competent corps: justice system, laws, public ministry, and police corps, assisted by the FBI, assisted by specialists from Holland, supported by the government who gave half a day off to employees to help in the search and weeks and months have passed without a positive result.
At a certain point in time, Aruba began to be ridiculed by America in television channels, and activity started here (in Aruba) to defend our justice system which is being questioned by America.
They understand some of our laws but not others, and I heard mentioned once “plea bargaining” a bargaining of the innocence of an innocent Aruban citizen. I can’t support this.
One thing is for certain, the Dutch system that we share, defends innocent people, it is absolutely confirmed that if you are not proven guilty, you are innocent.
This is all the assurance we have if tomorrow any of us is detained for 10 days or 4 days, but not that a demand is made for a case to be brought against us.
If nothing can be proven, no person can bargain with our innocence, says Mr. Merryweather who mentioned two things that bothered him about the article.
Never has he defended Joran v.d. Sloot nor the Kalpoe brothers. “I don’t have to defend anything. They have lawyers who are experts in our island’s laws who are able to defend them and we have a public ministry. “Who am I to defend them? I think logically about the case and the information I have is that which I have gathered from the press, among others, DIARIO”
Resistance has started to grow and the call for a boycott of Aruba doesn’t only originate in Alabama, but started in the cable channels and I, like any other Aruban, am very worried.
At a certain point, our judicial system was been ridiculed so much and I supported a small demonstration in front of the court and will be the spokesperson of the group, without being asked, because I wanted to.
After that, for one reason or another, the next day American channel 5 found me and two days later I refused an interview because it wasn’t my intention at all to seek publicity or to speak for the whole community.
“I don’t speak for the people, that is the truth. We are not an organization who has authority to speak on behalf of the people of Aruba. However, due to the reaction of hundreds of Aruban citizens who support and encourage us to continue the plight for our country, I don’t have any problem in doing so”, Mr. Merryweather wanted it to be known.
[translated by Getagrip]
