'They are beaten, bitten by dogs, their money taken away, their phones destroyed': Migrants fight for survival on Polish-Belarusian border
'They are beaten, bitten by dogs, their money taken away, their phones destroyed': Migrants fight for survival on Polish-Belarusian border
In a forest listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hundreds of migrants fight for survival in the hope of crossing into the European Union. So far, 48 bodies have been found there since the start of the migration crisis two years ago
The Polish NGO Grupa Granica accuses the Polish border guards of not accepting asylum applications from migrants. "They don't let them apply, even if they speak English and show their papers," says campaigner Anna Alboth.
Imagine surviving the trip from Middle East to Europe, just to get stuck in between a abusing dictatorship and a country run by zealous nationalist authoritarians.
Of course Belarus is the biggest offender here, as it's the one intentionally causing the problems on the border. I also get why Poland doesn't want to let influx of refugees to enter uncontrollably. However, that does not justify inhuman treatment by the Polish authorities. EU really should straighten up and decide on sharing the burden on receiving refugees...
While you're right that no one deserves to die in a forest in the middle of nowhere, the problem is that whatever the Polish would attempt to do to be more humane, Belarus can just funnel more people into the system to overburden it.
There is no disputing the fault of Polish politicians who have refused cooperation with the broader EU for brownie points with their own far-right, but if the only thing that changed was that the Polish would go softer on immigrants, it would maybe cause some relief in the short term, but would deepen the problem substantially afterwards, when even more people show up.
I'd also argue that Poland has the right to demand people ask for visas at consulates abroad or by mail instead of showing up at the border or even illegally crossing it trying to force a fait accompli.
Sure! And it's not only the Poles that are slowing down EU legislation, but the big countries away from the EU borders. It is a though sell domestically and takes time to implement. Eventually the refugee crisis will become a huge problem and a change, whether a more humane or cynical one, will be necessary.
Surviving the trip from Middle East was the easy part as Belarussia picks them by plane.
But now you have a new danger that doesn't allow facilitating the passage, how many of these migrants are former Wagner fighters?
Edit: getting down voted for pointing out the Wagner fighters? Thousands of them that entered Belarus and have an unclear future ahead?
I hope Poland loosens up and helps facilitate brain drain