How Belarus is Using Migrants as a Weapon against EU

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The world is full of crises right now, from the situation in Afghanistan, to the oppression of North Koreans, the Chinese power struggle for Taiwan and beyond, and now the latest European plight. Belarus is exploiting desperate people, in despairing situations, to get leverage against the EU to lift sanctions that were put on them because of the interference with the Ryanair flight on May 23, 2021, that was flying between Athens and Vilnius. 

Polish troops at the borders confronting illegal crossers

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN BELARUS RIGHT NOW WITH THE MIGRANTS?

In a nutshell, Belarus is flying migrants from various countries, for example from Africa and the Middle East, with the promise that they can move on forward to an EU country, and eventually to Germany. What these migrants don't know, or don't realise, is that they are being used as pawns by the Belarusian dictator, Alexander Lukashenko, in his bid to create chaos and destabilise the region so that the European Union would lift sanctions that were imposed on Belarus in May. This was a response to Belarus grounding a Ryanair flight and arresting Roman Protasevich, a dissident journalist, and his girlfriend. 

Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend

The process, described by a migrant from Nigeria in an interview with the BBC, is that Belarusian authorities are flying these people from various countries and then promising them free pass into the EU. Then, they are placed at the border with Poland or Lithuania, and sneaked across in the night, while the Belarusian secret services keep a close eye on the Polish border patrol. So, when there is an open window, be it midnight, 2 am or later, the migrants sneak in and try to get into Poland or Lithuania. 

The problem is that Poland and Lithuania are now drawing a hard line in the sand and pushing the refugees back to Belarus. They are shunting these refugees back to Poland, and these poor people are stuck in limbo. Nobody wants them, and no one is prepared to give them shelter. Often, the migrants are stuck outside, in the forest, or in some detention camp, with no food, water or adequate shelter and clothing, 

Migrants waiting in limbo

The weather is cooling down in the Northern Hemisphere, and these people have been stuck in this situation now for many weeks, slowly freezing and starving to death. Often, in these groups, there are also small children. Humanitarian aid organisations and investigative journalists have tried to offer help, or try to help these people in some way, but many times the local authorities have banned them from having access to these cordoned off areas. Poland has declared a state of emergency on those border areas, so the zone is effectively a military area. 


Stanislaw Zaryn, the press secretary for Minister-coordinator of the Special Services of Poland, spoke in a press conference on 27 September. They have reliable and accurate information that the Belarusian law authorities are giving some kind of ''pills'' to the illegal migrants to help them survive the crossing into Poland. These pills were confirmed to be methadone in one case. It is suspected that the Belarusians are giving the illegal crossers amphetamines to keep them awake, and to help them cope with the cold weather.

Migrants sleeping outside

WHAT ABOUT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS BEING DRESSED IN CAMOUFLAGE? 

Belarusian services are giving the illegal migrants military uniforms, despite the fact that Belarusian NGOs have already distributed warm clothes, food and assistance to these people. Poland is afraid that the Belarusians are preparing some kind of provocation. In retaliation, Poland has started to move more troops to the border to help defend the countries lines from illegal crossings. 

The Belarusian Border Guards have been found to have given to the migrants sets of pants and jackets from the guards' own uniforms. This is speculated to cause tensions to heighten and thereby, provoke Poland into a strong reaction, which is why they have moved troops to the border. 

People in Belarusian detention camps wearing camouflage

WHAT DOES PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO SAY?

President Lukashenko denies and deflects any questions or provocations that the Belarusians are treating these migrants as fodder to inflame the EU's flames. In his opinion, Belarus has extended an invitation to the migrants to stay a bit longer, but it's of their own volition that they are seeking to go to the EU, especially Germany, because "...[The EU] invited them to come, and [CNN] and other press media has pushed a strong message that they should accept them all.'' 

He also insists that there is no proof that Belarus is pushing these migrants across the borders, despite the overwhelming video and real life evidence that they are. And, according to Lukashenko, it's not Belarus that is violating human rights, but Poland and the EU by pushing these migrants back. In the same CNN interview, he said that Belarus has been feeding, clothing and sheltering these poor, stranded people and it's Poland that is on the other side of the border, guns at the ready. 

In his opinion, things are worse in Britain and the US in terms of having detention centres, killing young and innocent people and human rights abuses. 

Full interview can be seen here.

President Lukashenko being interviewed by CNN

CONCLUSION

I don't really know what to say about this, but that this a sad and sorry situation. Listening to the migrants speaking, you can hear that they are very scared and worried about what might happen. Most wish that they haven't left their original country, and probably feel betrayed and dismayed that the Facebook campaigns that promised them a free pass into Europe were nothing more than a scam. 

It's always sad to see people being stuck in the middle of warring nations. Of course, the main issue here is that they are trying to come illegally and most of them don't fit the definition onto which asylum can be granted, but still these are human beings that should be treated with dignity and respect. And amongst the adults, are small and helpless children. 

We have to keep our eyes open and see how this Belarusian vs. EU situation develops. 

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