After several accusations that Poland would turn away Africans fleeing the Ukraine war at the border, the Polish border guards have now reacted. Corresponding reports are “nonsense”.
Does Poland select when taking in refugees from the Ukraine war? Poland’s border guards have now denied this allegation that people fleeing the Ukraine war were rejected for racist reasons. Corresponding reports in social media are “nonsense,” said a spokeswoman for the authorities on Monday of the German Press Agency.
Refugees from the Ukraine war: Poland rejects accusations of racism
“The officers of the Polish border guards help all people fleeing the war zone in Ukraine. Citizenship or nationality doesn’t matter.” People of several dozen different nationalities are processed at the border every day, including citizens of countries outside the Schengen zone, Africa and Asia.
Videos with scenes on the Polish-Ukrainian border made the rounds on social media over the weekend, which caused outrage not only in Africa. Some African refugees had alleged that border officials on the Ukrainian side had been rudely prevented from crossing the border for days in the bitter cold and without care, while white refugees were able to cross them. A vehicle of the Ukrainian border guard can be clearly seen on a video. Some of the accusations by the Africans also related to Poland.
Nigeria’s foreign minister asks Ukraine for clarification
Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffroy Onyeama asked his Ukrainian colleagues for clarification and stressed on Twitter: “I have expressed my concern about information about Ukrainian border officials who are obstructing the exit of Nigerian citizens.” Presidential spokesman Garbe Shehu said: “All those fleeing a conflict have the same right to safe conduct under the UN Convention – regardless of their passport or the color of their skin.” A total of around 6,000 Nigerians are in Ukraine.
However, the foreign minister of the West African country of Ghana, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said on Monday that students from her country have not had any problems leaving the country so far. A total of 38 of the 220 Ghanaians who have left Ukraine so far have crossed the Polish border without any problems. However, more than 460 compatriots are still on their way from Ukraine to neighboring countries.
In contrast, Clayson Monyela from the South African Foreign Ministry wrote on Twitter on Sunday evening: “South African students and other Africans were treated badly at the Ukrainian-Polish border.”
Thousands of young Africans are studying in Ukraine because of the low costs and good education. These are mostly students from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia and other countries.
Source: Stern
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