ICC president clarifies position on Greenland hunting

I would like to commend Nunatsiaq News for having expanded its coverage of circumpolar news over the past year.

The Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) has for some time urged Arctic television, radio, and print journalism to temper the south-north flow of information by increasing exposure of issues of importance in the Arctic regions of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Nunatsiaq News has responded admirably.

Last week’s coverage, however, of the Greenland debate on hunting regulations requires some clarification, especially comments wrongly attributed to me, which imply that ICC may be opposed to measures aimed at controlling hunting in Greenland.

At no time have I, nor ICC, opposed measures controlling hunting in Greenland. Your source may have been a Greenland newspaper which recently published an erroneous quote, which I had already responded to.

In fact, ICC’s Principles and Elements for a Comprehensive Arctic Policy (which can be found on ICC’s Web site, www.inuit.org), set out several principles supporting careful management and sustainable use of our living resources.

I am deeply committed to conserving our precious resources for our future generations. ICC is of the opinion that the authorities should assist hunters who are no longer able to feed their families due to hunting restrictions. They have a strong argument for compensation for loss of income. Our society needs — today — to remedy the inevitable social consequences of tomorrow if hunters are told to stop their livelihoods.

I have lately (and often) reacted to the Danish journalist’s recent campaign to discredit the Inuit way of life and using Greenlanders as hostages in the important debate on environmental issues.

I have, and will continue to, stand by our hunters. I believe that they should be part of the dialogue leading to introduction of hunting regulations. Inuit are not perfect. We need rules that govern our important resources. And we need to obey them.

But let us not give too loud a voice to journalists who use selective data that give credence to the anti-Inuit animal rights organizations.

Keep up the good work of covering issues of interest and importance to Inuit from Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland.

Aqqaluk Lynge
President
Inuit Circumpolar Conference