Videos show police standing by while children scream for help in burning center
(Newsroompanama.com) Videos of police firing a tear gas bomb into a burning juvenile detention center while people inside were screaming for help, have shocked viewers in Panama.
Seven youths aged from 15 to 17 received third degree burns. Six are in critical condition at San Tomas hospital , and one has died.
Firemen who arrived on the scene have said that the police held them back from entering the facility.
The Citizen’s Alliance for Justice has called the incident another example of “police brutality, following the confrontation between police and striking Banana workers in Bocas del Toro in July last year when four strikers were shot and killed and hundreds Injured, including total blindness.
The latest incident on Sunday (January 9) has led to a flurry of government press releases and statements.
Vice Minister of Government Luis Miguel Hincapie said an investigation will be launched into events surrounding the two fires that broke at the Centro de Cumplimiento de Menores, in Tocumen, a juvenile detention facility.
Videos aired on TV, show police throwing a tear gas bomb into the facility, and standing by while people inside the building screamed for help to escape the flames.
Firefighters said that police officers prevented them from immediately entering the facility to put out the fires.
"A small fire was suppressed by firefighters in due course, but the cause of the second fire is under investigation," Hincapie said.
Roxana Méndez, Minister of Government, said she regretted what happened. In a press conference, she said the governing body is continuing to monitor this case.
A press release said that the Ministry of Government is working closely with the Attorney General's Office on the investigation.
The ministry is also providing psychological counselors to help support the families of the adolescents affected by the fire.
Earlier, relatives of the burned children called for the dismissal of police and guards who were on duty when the events occurred.
Next up was Public Security Minister, Jose Raul Mulino whose firing had been called for after the Bocas del Toro deaths He said that in six months police will not be involved in guarding prisons.
He said that the Ministry of Government was responsible for guarding the national prison system and he had sent a letter to Roxana Mendez.
The duty of police (part of his ministry) was to look after the periphery he said.
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Original Source: Newsroompanama.com
Date Retrieved: January 12, 2011.
