Poland’s state of emergency: A Conversation with Fundacja Ocalenie about the humanitarian crisis on the Polish/Belarusian border.

Human Rights in Europe

Amnesty International EAAC

News, Politics

5.0 • 2 Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2022

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In late 2021, as winter approached, a new crisis unfolded at the Polish/Belarusian border. Large groups of migrants were trapped between the two countries in horrendous conditions with little food or water. It has been reported by Amnesty International that Polish forces have engaged in illegal pushbacks of migrants on the border, thereby violating the principle of non-refoulement under public international law. The Polish government has imposed a state of emergency on the Belarusian border, severely restricting media, and humanitarian access to the border zone.

In this episode, we discuss the continuing situation on the Polish/Belarusian border with Kalina Czwarnóg of Fundacja Ocalenie, as well as the nature of the right to asylum, the response of the European Union, and most importantly, what we can do to help the situation.

Copy Right of the cover art: STR/NurPhoto

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome everyone to our Human Rights and Europe podcast.
0:11.0	Today's topic is a refugee emergency state at the Russian Poland border.
0:17.0	In this sense, I'm more than happy to welcome Kalina from the Fondesia Usilini Foundation as our guest today.
0:23.6	Kalina, your organization helps, since over 20 years, your organization helps immigrants and refugees build a new life in Poland.
0:32.6	Your goal is to ensure that every human being's dignity and human rights are respected.
0:39.3	Your organisation also runs the Foreign Aid Centre in Basso and Lomsa,
0:44.3	a community centre for refugees where adaptation and integration programmes are conducted.
0:49.3	But I'm sure you would much better explain what the actions of your foundation include.
0:55.0	And therefore I would like to give to the floor to you and ask you what do you do?
0:59.0	Who are you? Can you introduce yourself to our listeners?
1:03.0	Yes, thank you.
1:05.0	As you said, Otterlania works on integration of people on the move and we basically try to help everybody no matter what are their legal status or nationality.
1:23.3	We also provide assistance for people who don't have any kind of legal stay in Poland.
1:32.3	I myself and the board member of Ocelenia Foundation.
1:36.3	I started to work in Ocelenia 10 years ago as a volunteer and now I'm in the board.
1:45.6	And also I think what may be the most interesting thing at this moment,
1:52.2	Osserlena is also working on Polish-Belarusian border, where the humanitarian crisis is going on.
2:05.0	And we've been there assisting people on the move since August, because basically what they
2:14.7	need is humanitarian aid and we are trying to provide it to them.
2:19.3	Great. Thank you very much for this. And this is exactly why we have you here as somebody right from the site and somebody who's in the topic to explain to us and our listeners what is happening at the Polish-Berussian border at this moment.
2:36.8	So besides Kalina, we also have Emma and Carolina in the call today, who will take
2:42.5	you through this interview today.
	...

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