The Polish government has started work on a $400 million wall along their border with Belarus to prevent the illegal entry of refugees. The wall will be approximately 180km long and will be completed in June.
This development comes after a year of increased refugee flows from Belarus into Eastern European states like Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. The Belarusian government has been pushing refugees into neighbouring territories to respond to European Union sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime after its crackdown on pro-democracy protests over the contested 2020 election.
According to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over 32,000 refugees attempted to cross the border in 2021, with the government declaring a state of emergency. The Polish government also deployed the military, border guards, and police to prevent thousands more from crossing the border. This has raised human rights concerns that refugees will not be able to apply for asylum and now face being stranded in the winter.
Most refugees trapped between Poland and Belarus are from war-torn MENA countries, including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. As a result, a dangerous humanitarian situation has developed, with these vulnerable people facing freezing conditions, hypothermia, and hunger. At least 19 people have died between the Poland and Belarus borders due to exposure to freezing temperatures.
The International Organization for Migration provides assistance at the border and offers voluntary return options. The UNHCR and the Red Cross have also been granted access to the refugees and continue to provide support while they are trapped in limbo between borders.
The Director-General of IOM, Antonio Vitorino, has said that the “priority is the safety of these stranded migrants, upholding their human rights and preventing more deaths as temperatures remain well below freezing.” Mr. Vitorino also stated that “we are committed to providing humanitarian assistance and working with authorities on both sides of the border, and IOM will help those who wish to return voluntarily to do so in a safe and dignified way.”
The situation in Poland is a reminder of the harsh policies adopted by many European countries during the previous refugee crisis in 2015 when 1.3 million people attempted to seek asylum. While the Belarusian Government has initiated this situation for political reasons, Poland and neighbouring countries must adhere to their obligations under the Refugee Convention and allow legitimate refugees to seek asylum.
In the meantime, the Polish government should allow volunteers and aid organizations to assist refugees without hindrance while allowing media and human rights groups to monitor and report on the delicate situation to ensure people are adequately protected and their human rights are maintained.
European countries have dealt with this situation before, and the onus is on them to protect refugees under international law. This can be accomplished humanely by providing timely, transparent intake pathways for legitimate refugees while supporting MENA countries through economic means to address the root causes of conflict and mass displacement in the first place.
