Head of International Organisation for Migrations (IOM) Mission in Bosnia Peter Van Der Auweraert reacted to the relocation of migrants from Una-Sana Canton's camp Bira to camp Lipa, in the north-west of the country, warning that the move is the beginning of a humanitarian crisis.
The authorities in Una-Sana Canton just forcibly emptied migrant accommodation centre Bira, Bihac, and brought its 350 residents to Lipa which is already full. They will spend the night (and coming nights) in the cold without shelter, sadly, inhumanely and unnecessarily,” Van Der Auweraert tweeted.
Breaking: authorities in #UnaSana Canton just forcibly emptied #migrant accommodation centre #Bira #Bihac #BiH & brought its 350 residents to #Lipa which is already full. They will spend the night (and coming nights) in the cold without shelter, sadly, inhumanely & unnecessarily pic.twitter.com/tTQzyqmzZm
— Peter Van der Auweraert (@PeterAuweraert) September 30, 2020
On Facebook, the Head of the IOM published a video from the camp, warning of the inhumane conditions and what may turn into a humanitarian crisis for Bosnia.
“The video shows the former resident from Bira in front of Lipa with no place to go. Some have started walking back to Bihac others are still in front of Lipa. All will sleep outside tonight. IOM – UN Migration BiH calls upon the competent state authorities to provide access to shelter for those 350 migrants and refugees and the approx. 2500 people sleeping outside in forests, abandoned buildings and public spaces. This is how the start of a humanitarian crisis looks like,” he wrote in a post in which he tagged the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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The local police shut down a migrant camp located in downtown Bihac on Wednesday, relocating its residents to the Lipa migrant camp some twenty kilometres away.
Around 80 minors who were in the Bira centre were moved to a newly established migrant centre in the town while some 100 adults have been relocated to the Lipa camp. Others have decided to make their way to the Croatian border, with a smaller group deciding to try their luck in Sarajevo.
