Natalee Holloway; July 6, 2005

According to Fox News US Navy divers are being asked to go to Aruba to help search for Natalee Holloway. Alabama Senator Shelby has asked the US Navy for help in Aruba.

Fox News: Arubans: Natalee’s Mom Out of Line

A latent but growing resentment here became evident for the first time when more than 200 people, some wrapped in Aruban flags, said they were incensed by statements made by the mother of a missing American teen.

Those assembled outside the colonial courthouse in this Caribbean capital Tuesday night said they fear their tiny island nation is falsely being portrayed as not doing enough to find Natalee Holloway, the Alabama girl who vanished May 30 on a graduation trip with her high school class.

The protesters took umbrage with those statements.

“Respect our Dutch laws or go home,” read one sign. “Innocent until proven guilty,” read another. One suggested the missing girl might not be dead but partying in Brazil or nearby Venezuela.

There were complaints that some American television coverage unfairly depicted the island, which depends overwhelmingly on tourism, and as being crime- and drug-ridden.

“Have you been treated badly in Aruba?” asked Ramon Garcia, a burly tourist guide. “We are together with the family of Natalee, but we love Aruba too, man. We don’t need these pressures. We are a friendly island.”

Orlando Flanigan said his country had given “all out hearts, all out cooperation, everything,” to help find Natalee.

“It’s time we got some respect back,” he said.

“They are making us look like a banana republic, he said. “We are an educated and cultured people; many of us speak four or five languages.”

John Maywether told a growing crowd that Aruba is not an island of criminals.

You know in all due respect Aruba, this is not about any body’s respect. This is about finding a teenage girl who has all but vanished from your island. Everyone should check their ego’s at the door, find Natalee and bring those responsible to justice.

From AP; hold protest signs outside the courthouse in Oranjestad, Aruba, Tuesday, June 5, 2005, in response to a statement given today by Beth Holloway Twitty, the mother of missing US teen Natalee Holloway, and in reaction to coverage of Aruba by international media throughout the case.

UPDATE: Some changes from the above story that was reported from our Arubian commenter’s.

The individual referenced in the above news story’s name is Merryweather, not Maywether. Also 200 protesters is a bit much to have quoted; perhaps there were that much including the public.

I would like to say to all involved before this escalates out of control for everyone to take a deep breath.

>>> UPDATE: ‘Scarborough Country’ for July 5 – transcript to the Tuesday show
Guest: Richard Walter, Govindini Murty, Ed Smart, Lansing Haynes, Dave Newman, Susan Filan, Paul Reynolds, Linda Allison

A real interesting interview with Linda Allison and Paul Reynolds (Letter from Paul Reynolds).

REYNOLDS: Well, I’m—what I am seeing in the Aruban newspapers is that everyone there is frustrated with the situation. And I certainly understand that.

I know that the Aruban people want this case resolved, as much as our family does. And it’s unfair. They are being held hostage, as we are and the rest of the world, and as these few individuals keep these secrets. and it does appear people are assisting them in keeping this a secret.

SCARBOROUGH: I will tell you what, Paul. It looks like a full-blown cover-up. And I think you need to keep writing letters down there, because, obviously, these people—either, they are stupid and they don’t know what they are doing, or they know exactly what they are doing and they are covering things up and they are trying to protect some very powerful people.