Africa Business Radio

The U.N. Human Rights office says Belarus and Poland are pushing refugees back and forth across their border and leaving them with little if any food, clean water or shelter urging both countries to address this appalling situation. Refugees and migrants interviewed said they had suffered violence or threats in Belarus and been left hungry and cold. Thousands of migrants are stuck on the European Union’s eastern frontier. Poland and the EU accuse Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of encouraging the migrants to travel to Belarus and cross the border illegally as revenge for sanctions imposed on Minsk over human rights abuses. Stanislaw Zaryn, a spokesperson for Poland’s special services, said his country’s actions were legitimate and aimed to protect the country’s borders.