In the Jerry Sandusky case Penn State officials closed their
ears for years to rumors about his behavior. In the Netherlands,
the alleged pedophile Joris Demmink, Secretary-General of the Dutch
Ministry of Justice, has had a close friend thwart official
investigations into his behavior. That friend? Himself. This cozy
arrangement may be about to come to an end.
In the mid 1990s in Turkey, Demmink sexually assaulted numerous
boys between the ages of 12 and 16, according to the Dutch attorney
for two of the victims. They now demand prosecution. Attorney Adele
Van Der Plas says one victim was 12 at the time he was brought by a
police officer to Demmink’s chambers, where he was repeatedly
sexually assaulted.
Now, three Dutch and three Turkish citizens have come forward
publicly to identify Demmink as their molester. Van Der Plas cites
four police reports that name him as a suspect. Yet, whenever
official investigations have been launched, they ended up lacking
“evidence,” for Demmink’s office had the last word on such
investigations. His senior position in the government has caused
other officials to close ranks when each investigation was abruptly
terminated.
A periodic U.S. State Department human rights report on every
country about human trafficking is a study in contradiction when it
comes to the Netherlands. It gives it “Tier 1” status, a
designation awarded to nations at the forefront of fighting child
sex trafficking. Yet, its Netherlands report begins with the
statement that it “…is primarily a source, destination and transit
country for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking
and forced labor.”
A report from the U.S. Embassy at The Hague defends Demmink,
saying, “The prosecutor’s office… concluded that there was no
evidence to substantiate the allegations.” It also claims that
recent statements by alleged Demmink victims, private investigators
and a former police official are “unproven.” No wonder, considering
Demmink’s ability to spike any investigation.
Attorney Van Der Plas minces no words: “There has never been a
credible investigation into his behavior.” The reason: a criminal
case would “touch the top power elite.” She adds, “If they
investigate they will find massive fraud and corruption that
Demmink has been able to deflect and insulate himself and many
others.”
Our State Department’s contradiction has led three members of
the U.S. House of Representatives Joseph R. Pitts, (PA), Frank Wolf
(VA) and Christopher Smith (NJ) to write to Chairman Christian
Ehler of the European Union’s Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue
Steering Committee. They stated “that the Ministry (Demmink’s) may
not be able to properly execute The Netherlands responsibilities
under EU Decision 2004/68/JHS, on combating the sexual exploitation
of children.” That’s an understatement.
They also asked Ehler to forward their concerns to the European
Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties.
A letter to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan by Rep. Ted Poe (TX)
asked that the claims by young Turkish men that Demmink assaulted
them when they were boys be treated “as a matter of urgency.” He
wrote that “this issue should be thoroughly and promptly
investigated, then handled by the appropriate judicial authorities
of your country.”
In Washington, the policy director of the Rebecca Project for
Human Rights, Kwame Fosu, has urged Congress to hold oversight
hearings on the State Department’s contradictory report on human
rights trafficking in the Netherlands. The group also held a recent
street demonstration outside the New York offices of APG, the Dutch
government’s main pension administrator.
Joris Demmink will retire shortly. When he does, he is expected
to lose his protective shield of immunity from prosecution. He has
built up significant pension funds to be paid him by APG. He is
likely to take the money and run — as quickly as he can — to a
country with which the Netherlands has no extradition treaty, there
to continue molesting children.
The Rebecca Project has asked the U.S. Congress to pass a
resolution intended to bar Demmink from entering the U.S. until “a
transparent investigation… is conducted into his actions toward
children.” It also wants any U.S. assets of Demmink frozen until
this occurs.
International child advocates are calling on Queen Beatrix to
become personally involved to make sure Demmink is brought to
justice before he flees the Netherlands.
Gradually the ring of justice is closing around Joris Demmink,
but time is running out. Will it fully close before he escapes?
Will his enablers in the Dutch government allow him to slip out
quietly or will they ensure that justice is done?
