by Kathryn Hadley
On November 25th last year, Greenland’s 39,000 voters participated in a referendum on the expansion of self-rule. Over 75% of the voters answered ‘yes’. On June 21st, as Greenland celebrated its national day, a new era of self-rule was introduced.
Home rule was expanded to the police and courts of law and Greenlandic - or Kalaallisut – became the official language. The 57,000 Greenlanders will also be recognised as a distinct people under international law with a right to self-determination. However, Denmark will still have the final say in defence and foreign policy matters.
Festivities began with a flag-raising ceremony and were notably attended by Denmark's Queen Margrethe and its prime minister, Lars Loekke Rasmussen. These new moves towards increased independence from Denmark come 30 years after the introduction of the Home Rule law, in February 1979, in accordance with which Greenland became a special cultural community within the Kingdom of Denmark.
I published an article on the history behind the referendum in November in the January issue of the magazine. For further information, read Independent Means: Greenland's Referendum
Showing posts with label Scandinavia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scandinavia. Show all posts
Monday, 29 June 2009
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Greenland independent?
by Kathryn Hadley
Greenland’s 39,000 voters are participating, today, in a referendum on a proposal for the expansion of self-rule. According to recent polls, it is expected that 61% of voters will answer in favour of the proposal. The plan provides for the expansion of home rule to 30 new areas, including the police, courts of law and maritime environment, and includes guidelines for the division of Greenland’s potential revenue from oil and mineral resources between Denmark and Greenland. If it is approved, self-rule would be introduced as of June 19th 2009, the thirtieth anniversary of the current home rule government.
Greenland’s colonial history began in 1721 when Denmark-Norway claimed the territory and launched a missionary expedition to convert Greenland’s allegedly pagan population. It became a specifically Danish colony when Denmark was separated from Norway in 1814, following the Napoleonic Wars. In 1953, Greenland’s colonial status was lifted and became similar to that of the members of the British Commonwealth. Greenland became part of the Danish Kingdom and was granted representation in the Danish parliament, the Folketing. Moves towards independence began in the early 1970s following Greenland’s joining of the European Union, alongside Denmark. Greenland’s membership sparked opposition and local parties promoting independence emerged. Greenland’s position vis à vis Europe has historically been unclear and it has often tended to be drawn towards North America rather than Europe. Links with the United States and Canada notably developed during the Second World War when a treaty was signed granting the US the right to establish airbases in Greenland. Following the voting of the Home Rule law, in May 1979, Greenland became a special community within the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1985 it left the European Union. It adopted its own flag and Danish town names were replaced.
The recent discovery of oil and mineral resources as a result of global warming has rekindled hopes of independence. If Greenland can successfully exploit these resources, it may be able to become self-sufficient and put an end to its current economic dependence on Danish subsidies. 85% of the country, which is six times the size of Germany, is iced over and fishing is the main source of revenue. Danish subsidies currently represent 60% of Greenland’s GDP.
Greenland’s 39,000 voters are participating, today, in a referendum on a proposal for the expansion of self-rule. According to recent polls, it is expected that 61% of voters will answer in favour of the proposal. The plan provides for the expansion of home rule to 30 new areas, including the police, courts of law and maritime environment, and includes guidelines for the division of Greenland’s potential revenue from oil and mineral resources between Denmark and Greenland. If it is approved, self-rule would be introduced as of June 19th 2009, the thirtieth anniversary of the current home rule government.
Greenland’s colonial history began in 1721 when Denmark-Norway claimed the territory and launched a missionary expedition to convert Greenland’s allegedly pagan population. It became a specifically Danish colony when Denmark was separated from Norway in 1814, following the Napoleonic Wars. In 1953, Greenland’s colonial status was lifted and became similar to that of the members of the British Commonwealth. Greenland became part of the Danish Kingdom and was granted representation in the Danish parliament, the Folketing. Moves towards independence began in the early 1970s following Greenland’s joining of the European Union, alongside Denmark. Greenland’s membership sparked opposition and local parties promoting independence emerged. Greenland’s position vis à vis Europe has historically been unclear and it has often tended to be drawn towards North America rather than Europe. Links with the United States and Canada notably developed during the Second World War when a treaty was signed granting the US the right to establish airbases in Greenland. Following the voting of the Home Rule law, in May 1979, Greenland became a special community within the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1985 it left the European Union. It adopted its own flag and Danish town names were replaced.
The recent discovery of oil and mineral resources as a result of global warming has rekindled hopes of independence. If Greenland can successfully exploit these resources, it may be able to become self-sufficient and put an end to its current economic dependence on Danish subsidies. 85% of the country, which is six times the size of Germany, is iced over and fishing is the main source of revenue. Danish subsidies currently represent 60% of Greenland’s GDP.
Friday, 3 October 2008
History in the News: 17th century whaling station unearthed in Iceland
by Derry Nairn
The bloggers at Archaeology Magazine alerted us to the unearthing of an old Basque whaling station in Iceland last week.
The English language online newspaper Iceland Review quotes head archaeologist Ragnar Edvardsson as saying the find is of international significance. Up until now there had been no record of such an old whaling site in Iceland.
Edvardsson goes on to say the find represents
"the only remnants of foreign residency in Iceland in the 17th century."During the period, Iceland's Danish rulers had a monopoly on Icelandic trade and forbade any contact between the island's residents and foreigners.
This discovery comes in the wake of a Greenpeace report that alleges Iceland and Norway have resumed commerical whaling over the summer, in defiance of an International Whaling Committee ban.
Read more about the history of whaling in History Today's extensive archive.
Click here to read the post on the Archaeology Magazine Blog.
Click here to read the original report in the Iceland Review.
Click here for the Greenpeace report.
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