Genocide in Greenland? Divided experts respond

Cecilia Klintö/TT

Published 11.26

           

         Experts will give their views on how Denmark has treated the human rights of Greenlanders.                       Archive photo. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

Today, expert reports on Greenland's major spiral scandal will be released: Has Denmark been guilty of genocide?

Donald Trump may get a new bat in his campaign to make Greenland American.

A dilemma for the Greenlandic government, which appointed a group of four experts, is that it has split in two due to disagreement. Therefore, two reports will be presented in the capital, Nuuk, this afternoon.

- If the reports are not consistent, what good are they for? says Martin Breum, a journalist with a focus on the Arctic.

From the 1960s onwards, Inuit women of childbearing age were systematically subjected to interventions with the aim of reducing the birth rate. Thousands had IUDs inserted – in many cases without consent or knowledge.

The reports will address not only the individual violations against individual women, but also the greater harm inflicted on Greenlandic society.

Several Greenlandic politicians have previously claimed that it could be seen as genocide.

Unborn children

Martin Breum thinks it will be exciting to see if any of the expert groups have made an estimate of how many children were never born because of the IUD campaign.

– If we get a figure on how many children were not born, it will create an emotionally charged discussion in Greenland. It is the world's most sparsely populated nation with only 56,000 inhabitants. They could well have been a little more, he says.

Greenlandic politicians are well aware that the content of the reports can be exploited by US President Donald Trump, he says. At the same time, it is seen as a necessity to turn over every stone on the issue.

– One must understand that the need for explanation and reconciliation with history weighs very heavily in Greenland, says Martin Breum.

“Incredibly important”

It is not enough to present facts, provide financial compensation to those affected and issue an official apology from Denmark – the question of how Denmark has treated human rights must also be raised on the table.

He sees the reports presented today as crucial for how the discussion will develop within Greenland, between Greenland and Denmark – and with the USA.

– It is incredibly important what is said in the reports and not least how politicians react to them, says Martin Breum.