February 7, 2003 - Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise : Peace Corps extends active status for Walter Poirier for another year
Peace Corps Online:
Peace Corps News:
Headlines:
Peace Corps Headlines - 2003:
02 February 2003 Peace Corps Headlines:
February 7, 2003 - Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise : Peace Corps extends active status for Walter Poirier for another year
Peace Corps extends active status for Walter Poirier for another year
Read and comment on this story from the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise that the Peace Corps has extended for another year the active volunteer status of Walter Poirier Jr., the Lowell man who mysteriously disappeared in Bolivia in February 2001. In so doing, the volunteer organization confirmed its continuing cooperation with the investigation of the case. Read the story at:
Two years later, FBIstill probing Poirier son's disappearance in Bolivia*
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
Two years later, FBIstill probing Poirier son's disappearance in Bolivia
By Kevin Ford Correspondent
The Peace Corps has extended for another year the active volunteer status of Walter Poirier Jr., the Lowell man who mysteriously disappeared in Bolivia in February 2001. In so doing, the volunteer organization confirmed its continuing cooperation with the investigation of the case.
Poirier, 23, the son of Leominster Chief Assessor Walter Poirier, was reported missing in March 2001 after his parents hadn't received an e-mail from him for a month. The FBI has been conducting an investigation ever since, with assistance from the State Department and Bolivian police.
Poirier went to Bolivia in August of 2000. The following January, he was stationed in the Zongo Valley region. He was involved in a project to increase tourism in the area, networking between indigenous residents and government officials in the capital of La Paz. The last reported sighting of Poirier was on Jan. 31, 2001.
Originally, Poirier was scheduled to conclude his service with the Peace Corps on Nov. 15 of last year. Fearing that an end to their son's volunteer status would end the organization's involvement in the matter, Walter and Sheila Poirier asked the Peace Corps for an extension. Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez responded with a letter to the family indicating Poirier's status would be extended through Feb. 15.
With no solid leads since November, the Poiriers contacted U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan and U.S. Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, asking them to intervene. In a letter dated Jan. 27, the legislators urged Vasquez to extend Poirier's status "for a further reasonable period or until the circumstances of his disappearance are known."
This week, the Peace Corps responded by extending what they call Poirier's "close of service date" until Feb. 15, 2004. Poirier's family could not be reached for comment. Meehan issued a statement saying: "The Peace Corps' willingness to extend the close of service date is a strong symbol that it recognizes the extension will provide some solace to the family. It is further indicative that the Peace Corps continues to share the common goal of finding Walter."
Meehan has been critical of the Peace Corps' handling of the matter, demanding a probe by the federal General Accounting Office in May 2001. The GAO released a letter that July that suggested the Corps had failed to properly supervise Poirier, losing track of his whereabouts and only learning of his disappearance after repeated calls from his mother.
The letter focused particularly on Ryan Taylor, the Peace Corps' associate director in Bolivia. The GAO said Taylor knew Poirier repeatedly ignored notification procedures but took no steps to correct the situation.
The GAO said Taylor intentionally misled investigators by suggesting Poirier missed a meeting that had never taken place. Taylor later admitted to the FBI that "he wanted to deflect blame elsewhere because he felt responsible for not keeping a closer watch."
Chris Doherty, an aide to Meehan who has worked extensively on the case, said such stonewalling is typical of the difficulties Walter and Sheila Poirier have faced in the search for their son.
"It's been almost two years," Doherty said. "They have encountered indescribable frustration and sadness regarding the ambiguities of this case."
Read the PCOL Exclusive on Walter Poirier from December 8, 2002: Poirier Family wants RPCVs who knew their missing son to contact the family
Read and comment on this PCOL exclusive story about Walter Poirier, shown in the photo above, a Peace Corps Volunteer last seen in January 2001. His family wants any RPCV who served with their son in Bolivia to contact them. Read the story at:
Poirier Family wants RPCVs who knew their missing son to contact the family*
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
Poirier Family wants RPCVs who knew their missing son to contact the family
The Walter R. Poirier Family wants to talk with RPCVs who served in Bolivia with their missing son, Walter J. Poirier. Walter Poirier, a Peace Corps Volunteer, has been missing in Bolivia since February, 2001. The Poirier Family alerted Peace Corps/Bolivia of their concerns on March 4, 2001, because they had not heard from him since January 31, 2001 and more importantly, because no one else had heard from him. Walter's mother, Sheila Poirier, was told that her son, age 22, was last seen by Americans on January 31, 2001.
The Lowell, Massachusetts native, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, arrived in Bolivia in August, 2000 and since January, 2001, became involved in an embryonic Tourism Project in the Zongo Valley. It involved working with the Indigeneous People of the Zongo Valley and Government Personnel at City Hall in La Paz, Bolivia.
Walter's case has been investigated by the Bolivian National Police, by State Department Authorities assigned to the Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia, and by the FBI.
The Poirier Family recently received a letter from Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez stating that the Peace Corps is renewing the public affairs campaign to locate their son beginning on December 1, 2002. Mr. Vasquez also stated that the reward would remain at $25,000.
The Poirier Family is pleased that the Peace Corps is renewing the campaign. They hope this will generate some new leads.
The Poirier Family feels that there has never been a sustained effort involving their son's disappearance. They do not fault the professionalism or qualifications of either the American or the Bolivian Authorities but they do feel that efforts have been hampered by the overwhelming caseloads assigned to these Authorities. The Poiriers would like to see the United States Government assign this case to a qualified Bolivian detective whose sole responsibility would be to investigate Walter J. Poirier's diasappearance.
The Poirier Family has also sought and received assistance from their elected representatives: Senator Kennedy, Senator Kerry, and Congressman Meehan.
In the meantime, Walter's parents, Walter and Sheila Poirier, would like to talk to active PCVs or RPCVs who served with their son in Bolivia. They would like to hear anything, whether it seems to be related to the case or not. Anything that RPCVs want to remain in confidence will be.
Walter's parents can be reached at:
E-MAIL: ekss@aol.com
TEL#: 978-459-8134
ADDRESS:
Walter and Sheila Poirier
82 Raynor Street
Lowell, MA 01851
More about Walter Poirier
Read more about Walter Poirier at:
Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Bolivia; Safety and Security of Volunteers
PCOL2577
73
.
|
By vin daily vose on Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 9:31 pm: Edit Post |
Am I the only one who is 'mystified' by the lack of real response to the Poirier family plight? Is it possible that the U.S. with its financial, economic and political influence in Bolivia - not too mention the obvious 'frank' criticisms of the Bolivian drug situation by the two recent ambassadors - cannot do more to discover the whereabouts of Walter Poirier III, be he dead or alive? Is the Poirier family not entitled to reports of the 'various' investigations by the U.S. and Bolivian agencies? And could not the 'interested' national, state and local (U.S.)politicians who represent citizen WJPIII not make more realistic representation, even personal visits to Bolivia, to learn more 'on the scene' and to 'invite' more and better efforts at securing real justice for the family...not to mention, for poor Walter III?
P.S. What of the P.C. 'family spirit' here - especially among WJP's 'classmates'?
What is the status of this case today - January 2005?
Status of Walter Poirier Case
Status of Walter Poirier Case
The case is still open. Here are the latest stories in reverse chronological order.
When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
 | Ask Not
As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." |
 | Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid
Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help? |
 | The World's Broken Promise to our Children
Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005. |
 | Our debt to Bill Moyers
Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia." |
 | Is Gaddi Leaving?
Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors. |
 | The Birth of the Peace Corps
UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: PCOL Exclusive
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Index;
PCOL16651
23
.
|
By vindailyvose (host26.246.51.209.conversent.net - 209.51.246.26) on Sunday, April 10, 2005 - 2:24 pm: Edit Post |
Any new developments in this case?
If the case is still "open", is anything being done to follow up on the 'leads' presented in the Spoth and Langman articles? Is R. Carollo doing any 'follow-ups'?
Have Massachusetts' Sens. Kennedy/Kerry and Rep, Meehan been invited to visit Bolivia to speak with the "promised-by-Congress" investigators? (Maybe Sen Coleman could make a stop on his visit to South America?)
Or does 'open' mean 'inactive'?
Still "mystified" after two years!
|
By vindailyvose (host26.246.51.209.conversent.net - 209.51.246.26) on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 6:44 pm: Edit Post |
January 31, 2006 marks the 5th anniversary of the disappearance in Bolivia of Walter J. Poirier III, native of Lowell, Massachusetts; Notre Dame University graduate (class of 2000) and Peace Corps volunteer in the same year.
What is the current status of his case?
Does the FOIA apply here? Are the principal persons involved - from family, politicians, Peace Corps personnel, official Bolivian and U.S. investigators, award-winning journalists et al - satisfied with their efforts?
There is one ethic from the military that the Peace Corps might adopt. The Marines never leave one of their own behind. Neither should we. I've emailed my Congressional Representatives and Senators reminding them that Walter J. Poirier III is still missing and efforts to find him or to determine what happened should be redoubled.
|
By vicente daily vose (gateway-vgray.dsl.ma.np1.net - 64.61.48.206) on Sunday, December 03, 2006 - 12:46 pm: Edit Post |
What is the status of the Walter J. Poirier case, as we approach (January 2007)the sixth
anniversary of his 'disappearance'?
Mr. Vose,
In response, there has been no change in status. The Poirier Family hopes that the new Peace Corps Director will continue our son's status as active.
