Greenland: Let’s have the truth about Thule

SIKU CIRCUMPOLAR NEWS SERVICE

Kuupik Kleist, one of Greenland’s two members of parliament in Denmark, said he wants an impartial, outside expert to see whether or not there are really two more bombs under the water 10 km from the Thule Air Base in northern Greenland.

Kleist said he doesn’t trust the Americans to judge whether the bombs are still there.

Last week, Greenland’s newspaper Atuagalliutit wrote there were more than four bombs on board when an American B-52 bomber crashed in 1968 near the Thule air base. Only two have been found.

“Impartial experts should collect evidence,” Kleist said. “We should get help from experts who know about such things.”

Kleist said he feels frustrated that Danish officials have been secretive about the crash and what was on board the B-52 that crashed.

These questions — and anger — over the unresolved environmental and social impacts caused by the Thule-U.S. presence in Greenland continue to provoke reaction in Nuuk.

Last week 1,100 Nuummiut came to support a benefit concert for the Inughuit, who were relocated from their community, Uummannaq, near the Thule Air Base in 1953.

The Inughuit are in a legal battle with Denmark for damages related to their relocation as well as compensation for the hunting lands.

The concert, which was arranged by the Inuit Circumpolar Conference in Greenland, was timed to coincide with the 1953 relocation.

“We are going to use the money collected for the ongoing court case at the supreme court of Denmark, said Aqqaluk Lynge, Greenland’s vice-president of the ICC.