Denmark and Greenland: building mutual respect

Our Commonwealth has, since the beginning, been built upon equality, mutual respect and solidarity.

Denmark and Greenland have a common history, a fact that we have to defend — even when history is unpleasant — and also during times where human self-worth have been compromised.

The Danish High Court has on August 20, 1999 ruled in the case regarding the forced movement of the Thule people in 1953. The Danish High Court states that the Danish authorities acted unlawfully at that time. The forced movement was decided and carried out in such a way, and under such circumstances, that it has to be regarded as a serious encroachment towards the people.

We can’t alter the historic events, but we have to answer for them and respect them. With the recent verdict, a limit has been set for the government’s encroachment towards the people.

Today, no one can be made responsible for actions committed by past generations almost 50 years ago. But with the spirit of the Commonwealth, and with respect for Greenland and the inhabitants of Thule, the Government would, on behalf of the Danish State, like to bring an apology — utoqqatserpugut (mamiasuktugut) — to the Inughuit, the inhabitants of Thule, and to the rest of Greenland, for the way that the decision regarding the forced movement was made and carried out in 1953.

We wish to continue and strengthen our collaboration and solidarity between Denmark and Greenland. The Danish-Greenlandic cooperation within the Commonwealth shall also in the future be based on mutual respect.

With the amendment of the Constitution in 1953, the citizens of Greenland were made to enjoy the same rights as the Danish people. With the introduction of the Home Rule Government in 1979, Greenland obtained its own parliament, a fact which implied that decisions were and are made closer to the people in the Greenlandic democracy. A possible repetition of what took place in 1953 is therefore out of the question.

We recognize the achievements we have made through our co-operation and solidarity over the years since 1953. Our Commonwealth has experienced a very positive human, social and economic development for the benefit of the people of Greenland and Denmark.

The Danish Government wishes to strengthen Greenlandic participation in matters having to do with foreign policy and in security issues which have to do with Greenlandic interests. Dialogue regarding this matter have begun already on the basis of the report of the “Anorak” Committee (Committee comprising of officials from both the Greenlandic and the Danish Governments), among other things.

Representatives for the Greenlandic Government will be included in the negotiation process, when new agreements are made between the Danish Government and foreign states, on matters which have specific relations to Greenland.

(signed)
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Danish Prime Minister

(signed)
Jonathan Motzfeldt
Premier of Greenland