NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – About 200 people from Tajikistan, including pregnant women and children, have been stuck on the border of Kazakhstan in the Turkestan region with Uzbekistan due to quarantine and have to wait for their return to their homeland in inhuman conditions, Kazakh television channel Astana reported on June 2.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the authorities of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries began to introduce quarantine everywhere and close borders. And labour migrants along with their families were forced to return to their homeland. However, they failed to cross all borders – for two months now they have reportedly been living in a parking lot in the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan on the border with Uzbekistan. Many of them ran out of money. They have nowhere to wash and get food.

“There is a cauldron there. We are preparing food. Some 100 people are eating, the rest are starving. Pregnant women are here. They themselves built tents from garbage bags,” Tajik Umar Khamidov said.

One of the citizens of Tajikistan has died and the coffin did not pass through the border but was buried in a local cemetery.

Tajik diplomats have not yet been able to resolve the issue of crossing the border.

Ambassador of Tajikistan to Kazakhstan Harullo Ibodzoda told reporters from the Kazak channel he has contacted the Kazakh and Uzbek side and now is coordinating with the Tajik Embassy in Uzbekistan. “I think that in the coming days, today or tomorrow, we will transport them from Zhibek Zholy to the city of Khujand to Tajikistan,” he said.

Local volunteers help the foreigners with food and things, but this is not enough.