BELARUS PROVIDES SOME MIGRANTS SHELTER
Hundreds of migrants who were camped in the cold on the Poland-Belarus border have been moved to a nearby warehouse in Belarusian territory, reports said Wednesday, with some still harboring hopes of entering the European Union.
The move came a day after a melee broke out in the border crisis, with migrants throwing stones at Polish forces massed on their side of the razor-wire fence, injuring 12, and they responded with water cannons and tear gas. Warsaw accused Belarusian forces of instigating the conflict, while the government in Minsk denounced Poland’s “violent actions.”
The migrants, mostly from the Middle East, have been stuck at the border since Nov. 8.
The West has accused Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of using the migrants as pawns to destabilize the 27-nation bloc in retaliation for its sanctions on his authoritarian regime. Belarus denies orchestrating the crisis, which has seen migrants entering the country since summer and then trying to cross into Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
On Wednesday, Poland’s Border Guard tweeted a video showing migrants with bags and backpacks being directed by Belarus forces away from the camp near the Kuznica border crossing, and Polish Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik said he had received information they were leaving on buses.
The Belarus state news agency Belta reported they were moved to a heated, warehouse-like building about 500 yards from the border near Bruzgi, giving them the chance to rest indoors after many days in tents.
One of them, an Iraqi Kurd named Miran Ali, took video in the warehouse and said Belarusian authorities told them they wouldn’t be forced to return home. In response, the migrants chanted “Belarus! Belarus! Belarus!” in gratitude.
Belta reported about 1,000 migrants agreed Tuesday to move into the building to “wait for the situation to resolve.” The migrants were offered food, water, medical aid, mattresses and pillows, the news agency said.