Statement by AKEL Political Bureau member and Head of AKEL’s Justice Affairs Bureau Aristos Damianou
A combination of ineptness, incompetence and institutional racism have created a new statistic: 14 unaccompanied children have disappeared
29 April 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
Three years ago, Cypriot society followed in shock as Cyprus was placed on the wretched list of serial killers. A combination of ineptness, incompetence and institutional racism led to the appalling record of 7 femicides having been committed.
Three years later, the same dangerous combination of ineptness, incompetence and institutional racism is creating a new statistic: 14 unaccompanied children have disappeared.
As AKEL we have posed specific questions over the past few weeks within the context of exercising parliamentary scrutiny without receiving any answers. We repeat the following self-evident question to the relevant political authorities, the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Justice, the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, as well as the Chief of Police: what action has been taken to prevent disappearances and what steps have been taken to locate missing unaccompanied minors?
At present, it is not a matter of political decency, which whatever the case may be does not characterise the government ruling forces. It is first and foremost a question of institutional responsibility and public accountability for an issue on which the authorities are keeping completely silent on. We are waiting to receive answers to our questions.
