In response to protests against the arrival of thousands of migrants, authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina have introduced a 24-hour curfew on migrant camps siutationed near its border with Croatia.
After hundreds of locals showed up outside numerous migrant camps to protest against the newly arrived migrants, authorities announced that the camps would not be allowing any more new arrivals.
Migrants living in camps near Bihac and Velika Kladusa were also told that the only way for them leave the camps is if they never return, Poland Daily reports.
Camps Bira and Miral, which both lie along Bosnia’s western border with Croatia, are operated by the U.N. International Organization for Migration (IOM) and currently house close to 2,500 migrants.
Another 5,000 migrants in and around the area have plans to make their way into the European Union by entering Croatia, Balkan Insight reports.
Locals say the presence of the thousands of newly arrived migrants have created nightmare living conditions.
An older woman protesting outside one of the camps told reporters, “We can’t sleep calmly at night. During the day, they run through our yards.”
“Are we safe after all the years we’ve been living here, where we grew old? Do we have to run away and leave it to them?” she added.
Other protesters held signs which read “IOM go home” and “Free Bihac”.
Another female protester, told reporters: “We only want our peace. I recently read that the U.N. appealed against closing Camp Bira and against restraining [the migrants]movement, but what about me? My movement is restrained. At 4 p.m. we are all locked in.”
Earlier this month, Voice of Europe reported that residents living in villages and towns that run along Croatia’s eastern border with Bosnia and Herzegovina have become increasingly concerned for their safety as more and more illegal immigrants cross over into their country.
Source : https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/11/bosnia-24-hour-curfews-introduced-at-overwhelmed-migrant-camps-along-the-croatian-border/
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