The term "engineer" in the aviation maintenance industry is based on historical usage and is traditionally accepted as a legitimate term for licenced aircarft maintenance personnel.
The description of "Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer" and the "Aircraft Maintenance Engineer's Licence" were formally used by and defined by the ICAO in Annexe 1.
The recent revision of Annexe 1 (under pressure by several countries) to insert the words 'engineer/technician/mechanic' doesn't alter the fact that the description of LAMEs as "Engineers" was not simply a matter of convention or traditional useage.
The "Engineers" who applied that pressure do not have to be registered and regulated in the same manner as other "Professionals" and that is the simple reason for their lack of status in the community.