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Belarus Border Crisis: How Are Migrants Getting There? by DasaintHope(m): 6:39pm On Nov 20, 2021 |
With several thousand migrants stranded along
the border between Poland and Belarus, the EU
is taking action against those it believes are
helping migrants travel to its borders.
We've looked at the EU's claims about the
migrants, and at how they are getting to the
border.
Where are the migrants coming
from?
Data from the EU's border force, Frontex, shows
the main country of origin for migrants detected
crossing the bloc's eastern land borders so far
this year is Iraq.
There are smaller numbers from Afghanistan and
Syria, as well as other countries.
The numbers have been growing steadily since
the summer, and these are just the crossings
that are detected and reported to Frontex.
The vast majority of them have arrived in Minsk -
the capital of Belarus - by air, and then travelled
overland to the borders of EU states including
Poland and Lithuania.
Minsk is served by direct flights from
destinations across the Middle East - including
Beirut, Dubai and Baghdad.
The Belarus state carrier Belavia operates flights
from Istanbul and Antalya in Turkey, as well as
from Dubai. Turkish Airlines has regular flights to
Minsk from Istanbul.
What are the accusations against
Belarus?
The European Commission has accused Belarus
of luring migrants to Minsk with the false
promise of easy entry to the EU.
"Upon arrival they are being pushed to the
border..." said EU spokesperson Peter Stano.
Poland and Lithuania have for some months
accused the authorities in Belarus of
orchestrating the arrival of migrants.
A Lithuanian official told the BBC that, earlier
this year , Belarus had simplified the visa process
for would be migrants from Iraq to enable them
to enter as "tourists".
EU statements have made clear they view the
crisis as an attempt by Belarus to pressurise the
EU over the sanctions it imposed on the country
in June.
EU to widen Belarus sanctions as border row
grows
Belarus has denied this, and has said it is trying
to repatriate stranded migrants along the border,
but that many have refused to return to their
home countries.
Is Belarus encouraging migrants?
President Lukashenko told the BBC that it was
"possible" that his country had helped migrants
into the EU, but he denied inviting them to
Belarus.
WATCH: Highlights of the Belarus leader's
exclusive interview with the BBC’s Steve
Rosenberg.
Mr Lukashenko had warned previously that he
would not stop would-be migrants.
Over the course of the year, the Belarus state
carrier, Belavia, has increased the number of
flights from Istanbul, but has denied involvement
in facilitating the arrival of migrants.
Belarus also now allows visa-free travel for a
stay of up to 30 days for citizens of 76
countries, although not for those from Iraq,
Afghanistan or Syria.
Both Poland and Lithuania say they've found
evidence on migrants they intercepted which
shows how Belarusian authorities helped them
arrange their journeys to the border.
We've reported previously how a network of
travel agents, airlines and smugglers have been
involved in enabling migrants to get visas, leave
their home countries in the Middle East, fly to
Minsk and travel on to the EU's borders.
A Kurdish family from Iraq near the Poland-
Belarus border
Once at the border, some migrants have told the
BBC how Belarusian soldiers cut through the
border fencing at night time to allow them to
cross into Poland.
Accounts given by migrants to NGOs working
along the border corroborate media reports that
Belarus border guards have been directing
people through the forests to the border.
Videos published by Belarusian media have
shown Belarusian border guards guiding migrants
along a highway towards a forest that runs
alongside Poland's border.
What is the EU doing to prevent
them coming?
With the EU increasing diplomatic pressure,
some routes to Belarus are being restricted or
closed off.
Turkey's civil aviation authority has said that
until further notice, Iraqi, Syrian and Yemeni
nationals will not be allowed to fly from Turkish
airports to Minsk.
And the UAE has also barred those nationalities
from flights to Minsk from its airports.
The state airline Belavia is already under
sanctions from the EU
Belavia has announced that it will no longer
accept citizens of these countries on its flights
out of Turkey.
And it's said that it's strengthening its passenger
checks for all flights from Dubai.
Aeroflot, which has regular flights between
Moscow and Minsk, has denied that its flights
are being used by migrants trying to reach
Belarus.
One commercial airline that provides direct
flights between Syria and Belarus, Cham Wings,
said it was suspending flights to Minsk.
Iraq has repatriated more than 400 of its
nationals from Belarus on a special flight, and
more flights are reportedly planned to take
would-be migrants home.
What happens to migrants that get
across?
The Polish border guard service says there have
been 33,000 attempts to cross the border
illegally so far this year, with 17,000 in October
alone.
More than 4,200 migrants have been
apprehended crossing the Lithuanian border from
Belarus this year, according to authorities there.
Some of those who make it across are being
held at migrant detention centres.
But some are being pushed back to Belarus by
Polish border guards - although international law
states that anyone seeking protection must be
given access to the asylum process even if they
have crossed a border illegally.
Poland's parliament has passed an amendment
allowing border guards to immediately expel
migrants who cross the border illegally, which is
likely to be signed into law.
A similar law was passed in Lithuania in August.
Since then about 6,800 migrants have been
stopped from entering Lithuania. https://www.bbc.com/news/59233244
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