© Aargauer Zeitung / MLZ ; May 23, 2007 ; Page 19
Sandra case: pressure is growing
Big Council The Greens want to protect the rights of girls
Now the Sandra , the dispute over a 13-year-old girl who is to be returned to her mother in Brazil after a difficult custody dispute, is also an issue on the political stage. In a group statement in the Grand Council, the Greens spoke out in favor of suspending the repatriation process and suggested mediation between those involved in the process.
The Greens' most important concern: The girl's wish to be able to stay with her father in Switzerland should not be ignored. “What we strongly condemn is that the girl was apparently not allowed to speak out and no hearing took place,” said Patricia Schreiber, co-leader of the Green Party. The 13-year-old has been held in a reception center for two weeks now, has hardly any contact with the outside world and has no personal belongings with her, Schreiber explained: "She is isolated and sealed off like a criminal."
Against this background, one thing is certain for the Greens: As long as the return procedure is ongoing, the girl should be placed in the care of a guardian so that her rights in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child are protected. (bbr.)