border

Today, Egala and Oxfam published a new report, “Brutal Barriers”, detailing the frightening and sometimes deadly journey of people trying to reach safety in Europe. Survivors’ testimonies reveal the violence inflicted by both Polish and Belarusian authorities on people seeking asylum as well as the treacherous conditions people face in crossing the swamplands of the primeval Białowieża forest.

This report collects extensive existing evidence, testimonies, and the voices of people seeking protection, in order to document the human consequences of restrictive, illegal and inhumane policies at this border.

In the forest at the Poland-Belarus border, thousands of people on the move are caught in a dire situation, facing violence from authorities on both sides in an area marked by a human rights crisis.

Migrants, including children, at the French-Italian border have been illegally detained and pushed back to Italy by French border guards, testimonies gathered by a coalition of French NGOs, including Oxfam, show. THe organziations have submitted the accounts to a prosecutor in France who is looking into abuses of fundamental rights at the border with Italy.

Humanitarian organisations call for urgent assistance. Urgent action is needed to help tens of thousands of people forced to flee their homes following armed attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Israeli and Palestinian leaders must seize the opportunity of the new ceasefire to end the violence once and for all. Lasting peace for all civilians will only be possible if Israel permanently lifts its restrictions on Gaza’s economy and people.