When the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, we had a migrant crisis, millions of Ukrainians fled across the border to neighbouring countries, in most cases accepted and welcomed. It was as if this was the only migrant crisis on the planet. For years Europe has been gripping on about the migrant crisis from Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, and so the list went on. These migrants however were never accepted, never welcomed, thousand languished between authoritarian lines on the land called borders. neither allowed to move one way or the other. Trapped in appalling conditions, in unforgiving weather, men, women and children, herded like cattle to prevent them from entering this country or that country, continually fleeing repression and brutality, and Europe wringing its hands and shouting "crisis" but no solution just detention centres.
Along comes the Ukrainian affair, and suddenly the only migrant "crisis" is the flow of terrified people fleeing Ukraine and Europe opens its arms. The other migrant "crisis" has disappeared off the media map, off the agenda, no longer worth mentioning. Sadly however, those thousands of humans lumped together as a migrant "crisis" before this Ukrainian affair are still there, still trapped between those inhumane borders, their real problem of course is that they are the wrong colour, they are not European, therefore not welcome in our European white race military camp.
Along comes the Ukrainian affair, and suddenly the only migrant "crisis" is the flow of terrified people fleeing Ukraine and Europe opens its arms. The other migrant "crisis" has disappeared off the media map, off the agenda, no longer worth mentioning. Sadly however, those thousands of humans lumped together as a migrant "crisis" before this Ukrainian affair are still there, still trapped between those inhumane borders, their real problem of course is that they are the wrong colour, they are not European, therefore not welcome in our European white race military camp.
The following from Crimethinc:
Nearly four million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded. But these are hardly the only refugees fleeing war-torn countries today. Starting in 2021, the government of Belarus has cynically used thousands of refugees displaced by wars in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ethiopia, and elsewhere as a weapon with which to exert pressure on the European Union. EU governments have responded callously, leaving these refugees trapped in limbo between two militarized borders and establishing a restricted zone to ensure that observers could not see them dying. Despite this, anarchists organized in the No Borders Team network have defied the restrictions to provide assistance to the refugees in the name of a world without borders. We spoke with anarchists mobilizing on the border between Poland and Belarus to learn more.
You can donate to support the efforts of No Borders Team here.
For background on mutual aid efforts in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic, start with this article. To learn about how volunteers act in solidarity with migrants along the border between the United States and Mexico, read this. For perspective from migrants, read this interview with Syrian exiles.
