Greenland to Become Self-Governing

A new page of history is about to turn for Greenland, as the Danish province becomes a self-governing country.

OCEAN CULTURE: A man kayaks in the icy waters of Greenland. Fishing has traditionally been the at the heart of the country's economy. Kristian Fridriksson/Greenland Tourism

NEW YORK—A new page of history is about to turn for Greenland, as the Danish province becomes a self-governing country on June 21. Several changes will be seen as the country takes its first steps toward becoming a larger player in the global economy.

After being under the rule of Denmark for nearly 300 years, this is a historic moment for Greenland.

To speak about the change taking place, Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Greenland’s deputy minister of foreign affairs and Mininnguaq Kleist, the head of the department of the self-governance office, met with The Epoch Times on May 19 in Manhattan, N.Y. The two are in the city for a week to answer questions about Greenland’s switch of power.

“This is not an ethical issue of Greenlanders against the Danes. It’s more of a legal recognition that is important to us,” Olsen said. “The Danish government has been supportive of this.”

The Self-governance Act that is being implemented will expand on the current Home Rule political system used in Greenland that was implemented in 1979. When it goes into action on June 21, the people of Greenland will be recognized as a nation in international law and will be granted 33 new areas of responsibility in governing their country, such as control over the police force and court system—although complete independence from Denmark is still a ways off.

Kleist said that the current Home Rule system is becoming too limiting for Greenlanders. He compared it to a platform with several rooms that they’ve already explored. “Now the Self-governing Act is a new platform, a different platform with new doors we can open,” Kleist said.

“For the first time we’ll be recognized by a people of our own right, legally. That was not the case before,” he said.

Oceans Apart