GRODNO, 29 September (BelTA) – The world should learn the truth about the situation with Afghan refugees stranded at the Belarus-Poland border, Deputy Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Tengiz Dumbadze told reporters on 29 September, BelTA has learned.
Since 18 August, 32 refugees from Afghanistan have been living at the Rusaki outpost near the Belarus-Poland border. Representatives of the Belarusian Women's Union and the Red Cross, as well as MPs visited the refugee camp. The migrants were given warm clothing, blankets, pillows, food, sanitary and hygiene kits.
“The world should learn the truth about the way the civilized world treats these people who had to leave their homeland. Belarus is the only country that tries to help them,” the MP noted. He added that none of the refugees knows what will happen to them tomorrow.
“I want the world to stop treating us like enemies, to stop looking for trouble on our land. A disaster can be a step away. But it is here, at the border, that we see which countries seek peace and stability and which countries do not. People across the border live in another world where they do not care about the refugees,” Tengiz Dumbadze said. He stressed that it is very important to maintain peace and stability in Belarus, to continue to respect and support everyone.
BelTA reported earlier that representatives of Polish law enforcement agencies dropped a group of refugees on the Polish side of the border in the area of the Belarusian border guard station Rusaki on 18 August. An attempt to move them into Belarus by force was made. The refugees – 32 citizens of Afghanistan, including five women – openly told representatives of Polish authorities about their intention to seek asylum and refused to cross the Belarusian border. As a protest they set up a makeshift camp in Poland's territory. The State Border Committee of Belarus believes that Poland is trying to distort the real picture of what is happening and block access to the camp for representatives of international and human rights organizations and mass media.
