A camp was spontaneously built near the fence erected on the Polish border. It has accommodated several thousand people, refugees from Iraq, most of whom are Kurds. People, among whom are many women and children, are not allowed to enter Poland. They repeatedly complained about the lack of food and water. Today, representatives of the Red Cross and members of the Council of the Republic delivered them several tonnes of the most necessary things: several tonnes of water, meat products, including canned beef, bread, confectionery, fruit, food packages and also warm clothes, blankets, hosiery.
Different organizations have pooled together to help the people in a difficult life situation. Among them are the Belarusian Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Afghan community in the Republic of Belarus. Several local food enterprises also pitched in.
Senators from Grodno Oblast, headed by the Chairman of the Standing Commission on Education, Science, Culture and Social Development of the Council of the Republic Viktor Liskovich got acquainted with the situation at the border.
“It is very important that basic conditions have been created for people. They, especially children, should have an opportunity to eat, to warm up. All these people came to the border having placed their faith in a miracle, in the promises of the European Union, which turned out to be empty words. Such issues need to be resolved peacefully, through negotiations, not by confronting people at the border. This should not be the case in the 21st century,” Viktor Liskovich said. He assured the refugees that Belarus will not abandon them. Everyone who is in Belarus, regardless of ethnicity and religion, will feel protected. Viktor Liskovich expressed hope in the speedy resolution of the problem situation.
Providing assistance to refugees is not a one-time action. The next batch is to be delivered next morning. "We will continue to monitor the situation and, as necessary and possible, provide assistance to these people," said Natalia Tolkacheva, chairwoman of the Grodno regional organization of the Belarusian Red Cross Society.
Photos by Leonid Shchegelov
