Zack's medicine

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: July 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: July 23, 2003 - Peace Corps Press Release: Updated to Investigation on death of PCV Zachary Merrill : July 23, 2003 - Peace Corps Press Release: Investigation on death of PCV Zachary Merrill : Suicide... Feels more like foul play...: Zack's medicine

By Jean on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 6:31 pm: Edit Post

I read from the July 23, Wash. DC, report:

an autopsy was performed by the "Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware" and the final report

"will be issued after the results of the toxicology evaluations are complete."

It's been nearly 2 months and I'd like to see the results.

Also, it is my understanding that the United States is the only country in the world that sends out volunteers alone. Other countries with similar programs send volunteers out in pairs. The Peace Corps should consider a change to the way the rest of the world does it.

By bankass.com on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 5:02 am: Edit Post

Jean,

Thanks for your opinion. You are correct. If you have the time, please call 202-225-3121 and call Tom Costa with Congressman Chris Shays on the government reform committee. He is the staff person on the government reform committee that deals with Peace Corps. We have been lobbying him for this issues and others for years now. Perhaps with your call you could change things.

Other numbers Henry Hyde, Staff person Peter Smith International Relations Committee.

Call Senator Kennedy and ask for Jory.

There are many others you could call for these issues. This is the only way it will change. Peace Corps thinks they know best and twenty six Volunteers have been killed, died or missing since 1996 related to safety.b As well, in the GAO Report done in 2001, Violence against volunteers has tripled from other decades.

Their inspector General is the boss on this issue, call him. By the way, he has served over the 5 year period now. I have letter from him dated 1997. His philosophy has gaps and I feel with so many problems with safety we need someone new. He has made his money, now let someone with a reasonable mind take over.

Having two volunteers could signifigantly reduce the chance of safety issues arising. Who knows what would have happened if there were two volunteers at every site with the many volunteers that have perished.

But, Peace Corps has to be stubborn. They don't know best. (Us former volunteers, how would we know best, we know nothing right?)

For you staffers who watch my postings for your own enjoyment. Did Vasquez serve? Did any of the Directors who have served live alone? Perhaps Carol Bellamy, maybe, but this doesn't diminish the fact that the world is a different place today. They sit in Washington thinking they know everything about life as if they are god. 26 Volunteers and violence has increased. When will they stop being so smug. Keep making your money.

Who knows what the autopsy report will say? I wish he had another volunteer at his site so they could let us know about his concerns and the situation at his site that day or night.

Walter Poirier is the only Peace Corps Volunteer missing for this long a time period. We want the money the Peace Corps was going to use for his reward to go toward a private investigator (from Bolivia) full time to finally clear up his case. We have not forgotten him. We have asked Senator Kennedy to use his own funds if Vasquez can't find the money. I hope you know between Congress's fact finding mission, the Feds involvement in his case and the Inspector General's office's involvement with travel and resources. I bet the cost is well over two hundred thousand dollars. Why not use someone who can speak spanish, is a local and is trained as a private investigator. Why not? Give Walter's service the recognition it deserves. Spend the Money.

We need public witness hearings in the House and Senate on these issues. Peace Corps has ignored us and we need to let the American people know what they are up to.


Daniel

Separated Peace Corps Veterans

By bankass.com on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:09 am: Edit Post

We never got an adequate ansewer on Susan Fagan's passing either. I hope we will have a final report soon.


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