Historically, countries in Eastern Europe have served as points of entry for illegal Indian immigrants hoping to enter and settle in Europe. Due to the ongoing crisis along the Belarus-Poland border, one of the popular routes taken by these illegal migrants has been cut off. These migrants, perhaps unaware of the enormity of the situation on this border, are caught up in the crisis.
Migrants have begun traveling in large numbers to Belarus in hopes of entering the European Union this summer. According to the EU, NATO, and the US, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko deliberately orchestrated a border crisis with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. This was done in order to stir up a crisis along these borders. As retaliation for sanctions imposed on his country after its brutal crackdown on opponents and citizens who participated in mass protests after its parliamentary elections in October 2020.
After being detained by Poland’s border guards in late November, four Punjabi men, who were traveling overseas for the first time, were stranded at the border. ‘They expect me to arrange some sort of rescue team, which is beyond my ability,’ a source in Belarus told indianexpress.com, requesting anonymity.
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Even as Belarusians were making 11,300 attempts to cross the border, there has been little focus on the other nationalities stuck at the Polish border. In October, the Polish Border Guard announced that 16 Iraqis, two Indians, and one Syrian were arrested. The illegal immigration market from India and South Asia at large relies heavily on informal networks of referrals and contacts for assistance when migrants encounter difficulties on the way to Europe.
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