Posted on 11/08/2021 11:03:11 AM PST by BenLurkin
Belarusian authorities have escorted an estimated 1,000 people, most of whom are from the Middle East, to the Polish border in an escalation of a deadly crisis that has already left people desperate to reach the EU trapped between borders and at least eight dead due to exposure.
Videos published by Belarusian media on Monday showed armed Belarusian border guards in combat fatigues guiding the column of people, which included families with children, along a highway from the border town of Bruzgi towards a forest that runs alongside Poland’s Podlaskie region as European countries accused the state of using the migrants in a “hybrid attack”.
Video reports later showed a standoff at the border, where Polish border guards reportedly used teargas to push back people as some in the crowd tried to cut through barbed wire or knock down border fencing to cross the border. Polish helicopters hovered over the scene as some of the migrants chanted, “Germany!”, their desired destination, according to video posted to social media.
By evening, hundreds had set up tents and lit campfires in a forested border area, suggesting clashes could repeat themselves in coming days as Polish officials have vowed to prevent people from crossing into the country from Belarus.
The crisis along the European Union’s eastern border has been simmering for months but escalated in the last 24 hours. Poland’s deputy foreign minister, Piotr Wawrzyk, told Polish public radio on Monday that Belarus was trying to cause a “major incident, preferably with shots fired and casualties”, and the defence minister, Mariusz Błaszczak, said 12,000 soldiers were “prepared to defend the Polish border”. Piotr Mueller, the Polish government spokesperson, said there were 3,000 to 4,000 migrants next to the Polish border.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Poland is a NATO member and this sure looks like an act of war by Belarus...
How is this not an act of war?
How is Belarus’s relationship with the Sov, er, Russia?
Belarus is an ally of the Russian Federation.
Well that is a revolting development.
If the Poles light up the jackasses escorting the invaders, they get a war with Russia.
I remember “migrants”. They used to come to pick apples on the farm where I lived. Then they were GONE!
Everyone knows Lukanhesko is even flying people from other countries to go to the border. He’s one bad dude and many countries don’t recognize him as Belarus’s rightful President....now in his 6th or 7th term, which itself speaks volumes.
Putin doesn’t like Lukanhesko and they’ve had more than a few serious tangles these past few years. Especially difficult was when Lukanhesko accused Putin of wanting to take over his country....Putin was livid and acted against him.
But they are on bad terms.
Yeah, I doubt Putin approves of these shenanigans.
I take that back.....they both are integrating economically etc....and show a united front....but it remains to be seen if they unite Politically.
Lukanhesko is actually far worse than Putin....he’s truly a beast Dictator.
Belarus is Russia.
Don’t you remember the EU statements that the refugees are welcome?
How is it different from that Turkey was doing a few years ago, where Italy and Greece were demonized for trying to stop it?
The difference is that Turkey passed four million, Belarus several thousand.
It also makes sense to mention that the Belarusian carriers has been banned from Europe over the arreat of neo-Nazi Protasevich in Minsk.
They shifted focus on Middle Eastern flights instead to stay solvent.
Poland is seriously wrong here. The refuges can’t be evicted back to Belarus because Poland attempted a failed regime change in Minsk and considers Belarus a dangerous country.
Based on universally accepted norms it has to accept and house everyone.
Europe was complicit in the worsening living standard in the Middle East, now they need to pay a fair share.
Or look for the diplomatic solution to the problem, by giving Belarus something to make it care.
The Middle East is responsible for the ME.
And I don’t care what provocations you think the EU or Poland offered.
Not welcome means not welcome. No trespassing. Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.
If they die, the blood is on Luka’s hands, not Poland.
Tell me why a few years earlier Italy and Greece weren’t allowed to defend their borders in such a situation but now Poland is somewhat special?
There were millions of refugees at the time, now mere thousands.
Do you want me to tell the difference?
That time the refugees mostly came through Turkey - a safe country where they had to stay and had no business to proceed to Europe.
It is not the case now.
EU imposes targeted economic sanctions against Belarus — Meduza
https://meduza.io/en/news/2021/06/24/eu-imposes-targeted-economic-sanctions-against-belarus
“The European Union has introduced targeted economic sanctions against Belarus in response to the escalation of human rights abuses in the country”.
The sanctions on Belarus were mulled by Poland and Lithuania over humanitarian concerns, based on the failed attempted regime change they tried in Belarus. It is not Belarus that meddled in their affairs.
What do you think of the legality or at least morality of pushing refugees back to a country you designated “inhuman”?
That’s 3D chess where Poland lost the game it started.
I realize that the refugee crisis is a bad thing, but the solution you are pushing is against the “European values” Poland signed up for as part of EU.
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