1 of 3Foto: ADAM GUZ/PRIME MINISTER CHANCELLERY
Poland accuses neighboring Belarus of state terrorism by sending thousands of migrants to the border. Both sides of the conflict are also stepping up their military presence.
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Poland has deployed more than 12,000 soldiers and border guards at the border with the neighboring country. On Monday, hundreds, probably thousands, of migrants and refugees tried to cross the border – under the auspices of Belarus.
On the Polish side, they were met helicopters, tear gas and barbed wire. The situation is still very tense: migrants are encouraged by Belarus to cross, while Poland says the border is “sacred” and will be defended by all means.
For several weeks, Belarus has been using migrants as pieces in a game to put pressure on the EU using travel agents such as sells “package tours” to EU countries via the Belarusian capital Minsk.
1 of 3Foto: Leonid Shcheglov / BelTA
Blame it on Lukashenko
During a press conference in Warsaw on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki made the accusation that Belarus is committing a form of state terrorism.
Morawiecki added that he believes the crisis is a “quiet revenge” from the Belarusian authorities for Poland’s support for the opposition in the country.
Western authorities have for months accused Belarus and President Alexander Lukashenko of transporting migrants from the Middle East to Belarus and then sending them across EU borders.
According to the EU, the influx of refugees and migrants is revenge for the sanctions imposed after Lukashenko cracked down on demonstrations and political opposition after last year’s election.
Lukashenko obviously has a different view. This week, he received the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the two complained about “the harsh treatment by the Polish side aimed at peaceful people”, and expressed concern about the deployment of Polish military forces along the border.
1 of 3Photo: Milosz Wieckowski
Becomes throwing balls
The migrants arrive at a closed border, and end up as throwing balls at the border. Here, VG’s Polish freelancer met three Syrian migrants in a wood near the village of Narewka at the end of last week.
– This is not a good way to get to Europe. But because we are from Syria, and can not get a visa, that’s the only way. So even though this is very bad, there is no better way, the three say.
BACKGROUND: Crisis at the EU border in the east: Migrants used in «hybrid war»
Since the beginning of October, VG has reported on the situation at the border between Poland and Belarus. Here are some of the reports:
Polish activist: – War metaphors
Natalie Berger, activist in the Polish organization GrenseGruppen, tells VG that she is appalled.
– The Polish government uses war metaphors, and calls it an invasion when it is actually a humanitarian crisis, Berger says.
Norwegian Refugee Council’s Jan Egeland says “the cynical game of human life” on the border between Poland and Belarus arouses disgust.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet is asking Belarus and Poland to resolve the situation of desperate refugees.
“I am appalled that a large number of refugees and migrants are left in a desperate situation in temperatures close to freezing,” Bachelet said in a written statement.
She urges the authorities of the two countries to immediately reduce the level of conflict and resolve the situation.
Support Poland
Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt holds Belarusian authorities responsible for the migrant crisis on the border with Poland.
– I understand that Poland is in a very difficult situation, says Huitfeldt (Labor) to NTB.
Huitfeldt has previously stated that Belarus has full and complete responsibility for the flow of migrants to the borders with Poland and Lithuania. She believes that the Belarusian authorities are using vulnerable people as a foreign policy press tool.
– This is cynical use of people. It is announced that it is easy to gain access to Europe. And then you send them to the border. It’s a game of human life. It puts a lot of people in a terrible situation, says Huitfeldt.
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