76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Security Council meeting AOB on Belarus
Delivered by DPR Andre Lipand
November 12, New York
Estonia together with France and Ireland, supported by the United Kingdom and the United States asked for this AOB today to draw the Council’s attention to the Belarusian authorities’ ongoing and unacceptable tactic of instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes. We strongly condemn these inhuman actions by the Belarusian authorities.
The orchestration and manipulation of migrants for political purposes started by Belarus in July this year and it escalated to alarming dimensions during the past days when around 4000 migrants from third countries were escorted by armed Belarusian security forces towards the borders of European Union member states with the intention to force illegal entry by trying to forcefully breach border fences. The aim of the Belarusian authorities is to destabilize neighbouring countries and the European Union border and to divert attention away from its own increasing human rights violations and brutal repressions against its own people. This tactic of the Belarusian authorities is unacceptable and calls for strong international reaction and cooperation in order to hold Belarus accountable. It demonstrates that the Lukashenka regime has become a threat to international peace and security.
Belarus must immediately stop the intrumentalization of migrants for political purposes, and also stop the recurrent violence and repressions against its own people, in particular against journalists and civil society. They should understand that pressuring the European Union through the exploitation and abuse of migrants will not help them succeed in their purposes.
We express our solidarity to Poland and Lithuania, further measures will be discussed by the European Union how to support them in their efforts to deal with this hybrid attack for which Belarus authorities are responsible.
We call on the main countries of origin and of transit to ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into this trap set by the Belarusian authorities.
We highlight the importance of preventing a humanitarian crisis and call on the Belarusian authorities to provide immediate and unhindered access for international organisations to deliver humanitarian assistance to people trapped in Belarus.
Finally, we must maintain our focus what is going on in Belarus, and monitor the situation very closely and if needed, take action.