WRITTEN QUESTION No. 623/98 by Angela BILLINGHAM to the Commission. Children and Juvenile Code in Guatemala
9. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 310/105 (98/C 310/140) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0623/98 by Angela Billingham (PSE) to the Commission (9 March 1998) Subject: Children and Juvenile Code in Guatemala Is the European Commission aware that under the present Childrenís code in Guatemala, which was established in 1969, children can be indefinitely locked up áfor their own benefití in dangerous, repressive, ill-equipped government juvenile detention centres where the use of torture and beatings has been documented? They have no right to a defence lawyer nor independent appeals. Could the European Commission bring pressure on the Guatemalan Government to speedily implement the new Children and Juvenile Code which would make the child a ásubjectí of law, with a right to legal defence and to participate in legal proceedings that affect him or her? (98/C 310/141) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0624/98 by Angela Billingham (PSE) to the Commission (9 March 1998) Subject: Plight of Guatemalan street children Is the Commission aware of the continuing murders of street children in Guatemala? For instance, in two days last autumn, thirteen youths were murdered on the streets. All of them had been shot through the head. Could the European Commission confront the Guatemalan Government, requesting them to launch a formal inquiry into the murders of these children and those murdered in similar circumstances? Joint answer to Written Questions E-0623/98 and E-0624/98 given by Mr Mar ·n on behalf of the Commission (17 April 1998) The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for her interest in the problem of street children and, more especially, the childrenís code in force in Guatemala. On the subject of this code and its successor (due to enter into force shortly), the Commission believes that the governmentís efforts to ensure actual and effective implementation need to be taken into account. To ensure the new code is both applied properly and obeyed by the relevant bodies, the government has put in hand a number of awareness campaigns, staff training courses and activities to prepare these bodies (legal institutions, the national board for children and youth, and the social welfare secretariat). On the subject of the children themselves, the Commission is fully aware of the abuses and ill-treatment they suffer. This complex situation is known to be caused by social and economic factors (large-scale migration to the capital, breakdown of the family unit, loss of cultural identity and a life without prospects) and the Commission has been trying to tackle it with an ECU 2. 5 million project that has been running since the start of the year. The project, which has proved very effective, aims to give street children protection and direct assistance so they can return to normal life. It also sets out to promote activities to keep children away from a life on the streets and to strengthen the public institutions charged with protecting minors and putting child protection laws into effect (ásecretar ·a de bienestar socialí, juvenile court, human rights ombudsman)