Some of Greenland’s 58,000 people in Nuuk on Sunday at a ceremony giving the country powers of self-governance. Photo: Narayan Mahon for The New York Times
New York Times, By Sarah Lyall, June 21, 2009
Fondly, Greenland Loosens Danish Rule
Excerpt:
"The move, which allows Greenland to gradually take responsibility over areas like criminal justice and oil exploration, follows a referendum last year in which 76 percent of voters said they wanted self-rule. Many of the changes are deeply symbolic. Kalaallisut, a traditional Inuit dialect, is now the country’s official language, and Greenlanders are now recognized under international law as a separate people from Danes.
Thrillingly, the Greenlandic government now gets to call itself by its Inuit name, Naalakkersuisut — the first time in history, officials said, that the word has been used in a Danish government document.
“It’s a new relationship based on equality,” said Greenland’s new, charismatic prime minister, Kuupik Kleist, speaking of the balance of power between Greenland and Denmark."
