MINSK, 13 September (BelTA) – The Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Belarus and the Belarusian Society of the Red Cross have helped refugees who are stranded at the Poland-Belarus border, BelTA learned from the State Border Committee.
“As many as 32 refugees from Afghanistan, including women and children, are still stuck at the Poland-Belarus border. In the absence of any assistance from Poland, the State Border Committee for the second time offered an opportunity to the Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Belarus and the Belarusian Society of the Red Cross to bring basic necessities, food and water to the border line for the refugees who were detained by the Polish security forces almost a month ago on the territory of Poland and taken to the Belarusian border. As the humanitarian aid was delivered, the Afghans complained of being exhausted and desperate, but hopeful that Poland will consider their applications for asylum in the EU countries submitted through human rights defenders,” the State Border Committee informed.
Although the refugees are stranded on the territory of Poland and their documents are at Polish human rights organizations, the Polish authorities are not doing anything to resolve the situation. Instead, the Polish border guards mounted a barbed wire fence that makes it impossible to provide any assistance to the refugees from the territory of Poland.
“The Polish security forces on the border line still do not allow human rights defenders, charities or journalists to visit the refugees. As a result, international organizations and the European public cannot get reliable updates on the situation, which contributes to the concealment of illegal actions of Poland towards people fleeing wars and seeking protection in the European Union,” the State Border Committee informed.
