Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State issued its
detailed report on the status of “Trafficking in Persons” in every
country of the world, Albania to Zimbabwe. It ranks each country as
Tier 1, Tier 2. or Tier 3.
Much of Europe and several countries elsewhere are in Tier 1.
This means they are deemed to be working hard to stop trafficking
in women, men, and children for prostitution and forced labor. Tier
2 countries are not so good and if they have “watch list” after the
designation they may be in danger of falling into Tier 3.
The Netherlands, a long-time U.S. ally, is designated as Tier 1.
The State Department report cheerily states, “The Government of The
Netherlands fully complies with the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking. The government again showed regional
and international leadership on anti-trafficking reforms.”
Nevertheless, the report on the Netherlands begins by stating
that it “…is primarily a source, destination and transit country
for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced
labor.” It notes that “Approximately 113 victims identified last
year in the The Netherlands were male.” While most of these cases
involved people from various other countries, there are several
home-grown ones.
Indeed, some of these cases involve a high government official
and they cry out for public attention. Since 1998 there have been
four police reports alleging that Joris Demmink, the Secretary
General of the Dutch Ministry of Justice, ordered police officers
to bring him young boys for sexual abuse. The investigations went
nowhere, for Demmink’s own Ministry of Justice refused to take
action.
Demmink also is alleged to have raped several young boys while
visiting Turkey. Two of these Turkish victims through their Dutch
attorney, Adele van der Plas, have brought their charges to
criminal court, but have been stymied by Demmink’s allies. The boys
are now left only with the option of seeking civil damages against
their alleged rapist. Van de Plas said, “We cannot allow Demmink’s
offenses to be quietly hidden away. We must demand his public
accountability in a court of law.” Another of Demmink’s male
victims, a young Dutch citizen, has now stepped forward publicly to
join the other accusers against Demmink for child molestation and
rape.
For years, Demmink has enjoyed the protection of fellow
bureaucrats and politicians. His reputation for abusing boys is
known and has been reported by a number of Dutch media outlets, to
no avail. It seems the Dutch power elite are determined to provide
Demmink protection.
Given the fact that most Foreign Service officers in U.S.
embassies have sharp ears and eyes for learning what’s going on in
the countries to which they are posted, one would expect the ones
in The Hague to know about Demmink’s predatory assaults on boys.
Recent communications from the U.S. Embassy to Capitol Hill
indicate they do know, but have decided to side with Demmink’s
allies since, as they put it, no “conclusive proof has never been
delivered.” It is hard, of course, to obtain conclusive proof of
child molestation and rape if the Ministry charged with ferreting
out such crimes is directed by the alleged abuser himself!
U.S. embassies are supposed to represent our values. What can be
said of the bureaucrats at our embassy in The Hague who demand
“conclusive proof” in the face of numerous accusations of child
rape?
The U.S. Embassy seems to enjoy cordial relations at many levels
with the Dutch government and wants to keep it that way. No
scandals, please. Hence, its exculpatory report about Demmink to
headquarters in Washington. As a result, the State Department,
which is so conscientious about issuing its detailed reports on
human trafficking, speaks with forked tongue: it says The
Netherlands is a source for “sex trafficking” yet joins Dutch
officials who are complicit in protecting a man who may be the
world’s highest ranking child molester.
