BACK

I am back in The Hague. San Francisco was fantastic; on that later. First my frustration on the treatment by the American custom authorities. Do not mess with me - if I feel not treated well I will not keep silent. The letter below I wrote today to the American Ambassador in the Netherlands. I do not think it will make a difference, but OK, if you simply tolerate for sure nothing will change. Tomorrow more on San Francisco.


Mr. James B. Culbertson
Ambassador to the Netherlands
Embassy of the United States of America
Lange Voorhout 102
2514 EJ The Hague


The Hague, 10 March 2009


Ref.: Inspection


Your Excellency,

Last weekend I returned to The Hague after a very enjoyable 10-day stay in San Francisco. Back home I found inside my suitcase a notification of inspection (NOI) signed by an employee of Covenant Aviation Security (CAS), stating that the CAS is required by law to inspect all checked baggage.

As a national of a free country I can not accept the fact that without my consent and without me being present my belongings were searched. If they would have asked me, I was more than willing to open the suitcase and let them see what is inside. Luckily I heard by accident that travellers should leave their suitcases unlocked, otherwise also my suitcase would have been damaged.

The fact that CAS is a private company under contract with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) gives me little confidence that my belongings are in reliable hands. Who is responsible if some of my belongings are missing (I can not prove anything and I am thousands of miles away) and who ensures me that no forbidden substances are put inside my suitcase (for example drugs) ? The fact that I had to leave my suitcase open made me feel very uncomfortable.

Last but not least, I was very surprised that on my trip with United Airlines back to the Netherlands no US authorities checked my passport; nor at San Francisco International Airport, nor at my stop-over Washington Dulles International Airport. What is the use of all the security measures and bureaucracy if basic documents are not checked ?

By the way, I fully understand that security measures are necessary and essential. But the execution of these measures should be done with more respect for the privacy and the belongings of the people visiting your country. This should not be very difficult.

I hope you take these remarks into consideration and forward the complaints to the responsible US authorities. Thank you.

Kind regards.