2007.07.25: July 25, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Legislation: COS - Bolivia: Safety: Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Senator Dodd asks David Kotz about status of the Walter Poirier III investigation
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2007.07.25: July 25, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Legislation: COS - Bolivia: Safety: Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Senator Dodd asks David Kotz about status of the Walter Poirier III investigation
Senator Dodd asks David Kotz about status of the Walter Poirier III investigation
Senator Dodd asked Peace Corps Inspector General David Kotz about the status of the Walter Poirier investigation. Mr. Kotz said that the investigation had been reopened about 6 months ago. He said that the office of the Inspector General is in charge of the investigation. He said that the investigation into the disappearance of Walter Poirier III in Bolivia in 2000 is the number one priority in the Inspector General's office.
He said that he had contacted the National Park Service and asked them to help the Peace Corps in their investigation. He said that members of the National Park Service are experts in the field of searches in the wilderness. He said that members of the National Park service had already gone to Bolivia. Senator Dodd asked if the FBI had been involved. Mr. Kotz replied that they had gotten documentation from FBI on this case that had not previously been provided. Mr. Kotz said that there is a renewed effort in this case, that there will be a targeted search beginning in September, and that Mr. Kotz personally contacts Walter Poirier Senior on a bi-weekly basis on how the case is going forward. Mr. Kotz added that Peace Corps continues to make every effort we can to search for Walter Poirier.
Senator Dodd asked how helpful the US Embassy in Bolivia had been in the renewed search for Walter Poirer. Mr. Kotz replied that the Peace Corps has had a couple of issues with the US embassy in Bolivia but at this point the Peace Corps has told the embassy that we don't need their assistance. We will continue on this on our own. We would only ask that the embassy not be an impediment in the search process and that he hopes we will not have further impediments in the search. Senator Dodd said that he would draft a letter to the US Ambassador in Bolivia asking for their support and cooperation and that he is sure that other Senators such as Senator Lugar, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will add his signature to the letter.
Senator Dodd asks David Kotz about status of the Walter Poirier III investigation
Senator Dodd asked Peace Corps Inspector General David Kotz about the status of the Walter Poirier investigation.
Mr. Kotz said that the investigation had been reopened about 6 months ago.
He said that the office of the Inspector General is in charge of the investigation.
He said that the investigation into the disappearance of Walter Poirier III in Bolivia in 2000 is the number one priority in the Inspector General's office.
He said that he had contacted the National Park Service and asked them to help the Peace Corps in their investigation.
He said that members of the National Park Service are experts in the field of searches in the wilderness.
He said that members of the National Park service had already gone to Bolivia.
Senator Dodd asked if the FBI had been involved.
Mr. Kotz replied that they had gotten documentation from FBI on this case that had not previously been provided.
Mr. Kotz said that there is a renewed effort in this case, that there will be a targeted search beginning in September, and that Mr. Kotz personally contacts Walter Poirier Senior on a bi-weekly basis on how the case is going forward.
Mr. Kotz added that Peace Corps continues to make every effort we can to search for Walter Poirier.
Senator Dodd asked how helpful the US Embassy in Bolivia had been in the renewed search for Walter Poirer.
Mr. Kotz replied that the Peace Corps has had a couple of issues with the US embassy in Bolivia but at this point the Peace Corps has told the embassy that wwe don't need their assistance. We will continue on this on our own. We would only ask that the embassy not be an impediment in the search process and that he hopes we will not have further impediments in the search.
Senator Dodd said that he would draft a letter to the US Ambassador in Bolivia asking for their support and cooperation and that he is sure that other Senators such as Senator Lugar, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will add his signature to the letter.
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Headlines: July, 2007; Congress; Legislation; Peace Corps Bolivia; Directory of Bolivia RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Bolivia RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Peace Corps Library; Peace Corps Countries of Service; Peace Corps History; Bulletin Board; Recent Peace Corps News
When this story was posted in July 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: Senate Foreign Relations Committee
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Congress; Legislation; COS - Bolivia; Safety
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By Former Volunteer (dialup-4.156.69.3.dial1.boston1.level3.net - 4.156.69.3) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 11:21 pm: Edit Post |
Come on. Are you kidding me? This hearing is a joke. Nothing was accomplished and there are no hearings about thousands of cases related to safety and security of volunteers.
Peace Corps continues to cover up these cases and the Senator and the some in the House continue to cover up and these cases.
They leave former volunteers who went through these issues without health care, many whose files are not correct, continue to get discriminated against in job development after service because they "volunteered their time".
Dodd did not serve in a period of hostility toward volunteers was at an 145% increase. He and his staff have never really challenged Peace Corps properly on the rights of families and the victims of violence in service. I look at it as aiding and abetting bureaucrats at Peace Corps who have not served the volunteer properly and aiding the groups and individuals who undermine our safety. Volunteers with these issues have no voice with Senator Dodd's committee because he uses it as his Bully pulpit, yet if he would only hear from us and our families, truly heard us and see what our families, ourselves as former volunteers with no rights to challenge the agency on equal footing go through, maybe he might get a better grip. He is so far out of touch it makes my stomach turn.
The people in the NPCA think he is a "god". Well, he is not. If, he was, he would have proposed pulling aid from Bolivia until something was really done, he would have asked the Gabonian government for ansewers in the Karen Phillips case, he would have asked for ansewers in medical services for the dad of Susan Fagan and her death, he would have sponsored an ombudsman's office, so people who have gone through threatening of their life at their site aren't blamed or cast off as a psych vac thus covering up a real safety incident, he would stick for rape victims who are blamed for their situation in service and have to relive it if they want FECA benefits or work in federal type situations.
I don't think he really listens to volunteers who know what the other side of safety incident is. He does not get the real understanding that Peace Corps has covered these issues up. Just because he was a Senator's son does not make it right, as former volunteer he assists in covering up 2,700 plus victims of violence. What is the percentatge of people working again beacuse they volunteered and went through a safety incident, let's get a poll Senator Dodd. (Out of this 2,700 plus since during a three year period, let's see the numbers over a decade.) The increases do naturally correspond to the rise of hate against americans and terror and also that we serve in poverty areas. But, it is not our fault for volunteering to have government file that is incorrect and we had a safety incident. What is the mechanism at Peace Corps to assist in ammending our records like military volunteers? The government did this to people in vietnam. But, I never expected such a go along get along crowd without assisting other volunteers.
One of the largest increases safety breaches were during the period of Carol Bellamy, a Dodd friend. Yes, it happened during Coverdell and others but we are all american Peace Corps Volunteers. Dodd should serve all volunteers equally with a special interest in the cases brought up during the hearings of the Dayton Daily News. The reporter got awards in jouralism for exposing these truths. What awards have the families of victims of violence during service received? Let me tell you we get the bill one way or another. And we have to pay that bill for volunteering.
Dodd has had his job for years and touts his Peace Corps record, so does Carol Bellamy, we all should, as former volunteers be able to do so, without discriminating in federal service. We did not volunteer for scrutiny, we did not volunteer for a behavior modification program, we did not volunteer to have our rape hushed and not dealt with. We volunteered beacuse we are good people with altruist hearts. Givers
The takers are the folks who continue to play games and don't get anything accomplished.
I think its alot of bunk.
Where is the office General Counsel for Volunteers? Why do we have an office of general counsel that hurts the lives of volunteers? Just ask the people in court cases against Peace Corps in Federal court. They did not volunteer to be scrutinzed to the point; "to volunteer a negative file on them to the government with no right of redress". Perhaps, this is why volunteers don't report real incidents earlier, the fear of reprisal the Peace Corps has done to others.
Where are our rights as volunteers, who are the real program? Where Senator Dodd? If, it was your Son or daughter, I can assure you, you would be an attorney him or her.
Take your blinders off and get with really helping volunteers who I have stated above and the families who have real concerns about their son or daughter's service.
Paul Tsongas would have assisted us and you know it.
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By another former volunteer (dialup-4.156.84.71.dial1.boston1.level3.net - 4.156.84.71) on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 9:40 pm: Edit Post |
I have a suggestion Senator Dodd, you speak Spanish. Why don't you go to Bolivia to assist in this effort? another former volunteer.
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By Safety (dialup-4.156.69.22.dial1.boston1.level3.net - 4.156.69.22) on Saturday, August 04, 2007 - 10:57 pm: Edit Post |
Dodd,
Where is the legislation for an office of General Counsel for Volunteers and their families who have gone through safety related and health issues?
You as a Senator purposely block this population from getting closure in their situations.
You blocked the ombudsmans office.
And you have not stood up for the volunteers who have gone through these issues adequately enough. You wonder why you aren't getting much support in New Hampshire? Its for this reason. Go ahead and continue to block and hurt volunteers and their families. You won't get elected because regular people know what has happened at Peace Corps with Safety and Health at Peace Corps. The world has changed since you served.
There is a new generation of Democrats and former volunteers who know you are not doing enough, so why would you be the right guy for President. Your not because you and your staff are arrogant and have not proposed legislation to protect volunteers from Negligence and poor policy regarding safety and health for years.
I bet you get one percent of the vote.
People who served gave of themselves just like you and should be treated respectfully so. Kotz doesn't treat volunteers with respect and neither do you.
You are part of the hear no evil, see no evil at Peace Corps. Have you ever considered joining the Republican party? You would do well as one.
2,700 victims of violence in service and 145% percent increase in violence of the forty years of Peace Corps and you can't work on legislation to assist volunteers who served like you?
Its an injustice to all of us who have gone through these issues in service and Peace Corps as an institution has been stained by it in the way they treated and continue to treat these volunteers.
Safety
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By vicentedailyvose (gateway-vgray.dsl.ma.np1.net - 64.61.48.206) on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 6:00 pm: Edit Post |
What is the current status of the Walter J. Poirier III case since the visit of Mr. Tschetter to Bolivia and his meeting with the Bolivian Minister of Foreign Affairs in August?
Still in union of prayers,
vicentedailyvose
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By Dodd the Dute (dialup-4.156.69.228.dial1.boston1.level3.net - 4.156.69.228) on Thursday, October 25, 2007 - 9:58 pm: Edit Post |
There will be more media on the issues related to Safety and Security.
There are thousands of volunteers and their families who have been the victim of the caprice of Peace Corps bureaucrats, who are in air conditioned offices, both while in their jobs in the field and in Washington.
The Volunteer will be getting more hope in their struggle to have an attorney's office for Volunteers, who are the program, not the five year people who come and go.
Dodd, (you folks on this website love this guy). He is a joke and so is his campaign in NH. Remember Paul Tsongas's victory in NH. What is the difference between the two? One thing, Paul always held fast to the truth and provided regular folks with acess to the public domain. Clinton appointees and sycophants can't hold a candle to that legacy.
Dodd has helped cover up cases of Peace Corps volunteers who have been through safety incidents. He blocked the ombudsman's office. He will be like that with the American public. That is why his Nashua campaign office is empty. Empty head, with an empty office. Chew on that Janice O'Connell.
Just another NPCV who is so supportive of all the things he has done to help volunteers who have had safety incidents. Thanks for all the cheap shipppppppp
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By vicentedailyvose (gateway-vgray.dsl.ma.np1.net - 64.61.48.206) on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 8:42 pm: Edit Post |
I repeat my question of September 7, 2007 - what is the current status of the Walter Poirier case as of the 7th anniversary of his disappearance (Feb 2008)?
Still praying for adequate clarification!
Vicente Daily Vose
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By vicentedailyvose (gateway-vgray.dsl.ma.np1.net - 64.61.48.206) on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 8:42 pm: Edit Post |
I repeat my question of September 7, 2007 - what is the current status of the Walter Poirier case as of the 7th anniversary of his disappearance (Feb 2008)?
Still praying for adequate clarification!
Vicente Daily Vose
Current status of Walter Poirier III investigation:
peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2204299.html
Best Regards,
Admin1
