Noriegaville No More?

Is it possible that Okke Ornstein has finally met his match? When I visited Noreigaville.com this morning, I was met with the following message:

"Sorry, but The Noriegaville News is closed and is not coming back. Some deeply disturbed people have a problem with investigative in-your-face journalism in Panama and have not just kept their hate campaigns online but also moved them into the real world. The benefits of publishing this site do no longer outweigh the threats against family, people showing up with stun guns at my house and the abuse of Panama's legal system and its backward libel laws for pure harrassment. It's a great disappointment having to conclude that Panama does not offer a safe environment for free speech and publishing online, and that foreign rogues take advantage of these circumstances, but there is little we can do about it."

I must say I’m deeply disappointed. I can’t count the number of times my mouth has dropped open with shocked disbelief when reading one of Okke’s articles. It’s not so much the stories of lies and corruption that surprise me, but the fact that he makes his critical and sarcastic view so openly available. His bashing of public figures is legendary, and makes my heart skip a beat in fear.

Whether you love him or hate him, he stands as an icon that speaks words that others are afraid to utter and even think. For that I admire him – and he is a darn good writer.

Sorry to see you go Okke.