DISINFO: The Poles in Belarus are only “human shields” used by the West to colonise this country
SUMMARY
The crisis in the Polish-Belarusian relations and its reflection on the part of the Polish minority in Belarus is not so much an initiative of the authorities in Minsk but a deliberate game of Poland aimed at stirring up the atmosphere around the Eurasian integration. The Poles in Belarus are only “human shields” of the West.
The Polish attempts to overthrow the order in Belarus have taken place longer than the independent Belarusian state exists.
The point here is the fact that there would be no “Polish occupation” in Belarus today. The land, factories and apartments would be seized by the Western capital, while the Polishness would only play a role of a bumper against the anger of the colonised Belarusian nation. The policy of Warsaw reduced the Poles living in Belarus to this role – actually, we talk about the minority of these Poles, which has chosen to be disloyal to Minsk, being supported by Poland in a financial and political way for years.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus – Poland is presented here as a country with hostile and aggressive plans towards Belarus.
The claims that Poland and the West use the Poles living in Belarus as a “human shield” in order to overthrow Lukashenka, colonise Belarus or hamper the Eurasian integration are unfounded.
Throughout March 2021, the authorities of Belarus arrested a number of representatives of the Polish minority living in Belarus under various fake accusations (such as “rehabilitation of Nazism” and “incitement to national hatred”). The list of arrested persons includes the leader of the Belarusian Union of Poles Anzhelika Borys, a journalist Andrzej Poczobut and several teachers from local Polish schools. Some of the arrested activists may be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison. Read more about the situation around arrested representatives of the Polish minority living in Belarus here.
Poland and the EU appealed to the Belarusian authorities to stop political repressions and persecution against the Polish minority in Belarus.
Poland is a neighbour of Belarus and it continues to support the Belarusian people. Poland respects the principles of international law and does not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country.
See other cases connected to the current political dispute between Poland and the authoritarian regime of Lukashenka in Belarus: Polish historical policy disrespects Belarus; The Polish position on Belarus is exceptionally hostile and The Belarusian Union of Poles has not even tried to become officially registered.