Belarusian-Polish border situation (ANSA)
By Linda Bordoni
Nov 11 2021
Caritas Europa is warning that thousands of vulnerable people trapped on the border between Belarus, Poland and Lithuania, are being denied the basic rights of shelter, medical aid and the possibility of having their asylum claims reviewed.
Thousands of migrants are stranded, in freezing temperatures, on the border between Belarus and Poland as they attempt to enter Europe in search of asylum or a better life.
But Warsaw has reinforced its border with a razor-wire fence and soldiers blocking their entry. Footage shows many families, young children, and babies among the people stuck there.
The European Union is accusing Belarus of encouraging the migrants – from the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Africa – to try to illegally cross the frontier in revenge for earlier sanctions imposed on Minsk over human rights abuses.
Embattled Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, backed by Russia, denies using the migrants as pawns and blames the EU for the crisis. Like Poland, neighbouring Lithuania has also imposed a state of emergency and is turning back migrants.
Catholic humanitarian agency, Caritas Europa, is doing its best, liaising with local Caritas offices and dioceses near the Polish and Lithuanian borders in an attempt to provide life-saving humanitarian aid.
But because of the state of emergency, it does not have access to the border itself. In an interview with Vatican Radio, the Secretary-General of Caritas Europa, Marie Nyman, described the situation as critical and warned of possible deaths if the situation is protracted, but said local Caritas offices are doing everything possible in very challenging circumstances. -Vatican News
