Construction of a new border wall at the Białowieża forest

Have you ever thought about how many terrible repercussions a border fence or #wall can have? A barbed wire is already in place at the Polish-Belarusian border in #Poland to prevent #asylumseekers from reaching the country and asking for asylum. This fence not only reinforces the unwelcome attitudes towards #refugees and asylum seekers but also poses a threat to the people living in the area, and the nature surrounding it.

According to the Polish Border Guards, the construction of a new fence will begin in the #Białowieża Forest region and does not include preserving the nature of this unique place. This forest is one of the last and most significant parts of the immense #primaeval forest stretching across the #European Plain. Unfortunately, the law concerning border fence construction does not include nature-preserving legal records.

Aside from endangering the environment, the construction of a border fence may further endanger the lives of refugees and asylum seekers trying to enter Poland via Belarus. The border fence will cause vulnerable individuals fleeing violence in war-torn countries to be exposed to hardships. It would drive them to seek more remote and inaccessible routes, such as crossing through the river, leading to inevitable deaths.

Constructing a physical barrier at the border represents a purposeful denial of asylum access. Many of the refugees at the PL-BL border come from #Afghanistan. They cannot return due to violence. Not only that but, for many, remaining on the Belarusian side means guaranteed #deportation. According to the principle of non-refoulment, asylum seekers cannot be sent to a place where they might be persecuted. By building the border fence, Poland will thus indirectly contribute to further #humanrights violations.

Residents of that area appeal to minimalise the adverse and irreparable effects caused to nature and plan the construction in a way that won’t damage the Białowieża Forest. Share the #appeal and help the border area inhabitants save nature when the border fence construction is irrevocable!