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Greenland forgets to raise Danish flag on Constitution Day

A decision last year to raise the Danish flag at the parliament building in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, on Denmark’s Constitution Day, appeared to have been forgotten when the day rolled around earlier this week.

Published: 7 June 2018 11:32 CEST
Greenland forgets to raise Danish flag on Constitution Day
A file photo of Nuuk, Greenland. Photo: AP Photo/David Goldman/Ritzau Scanpix

Denmark’s Dannebrog flag should have been flying at the parliament build in Nuuk on June 5th, the anniversary of the signing of Denmark’s first constitution in 1849.

But come the day, no Danish flag was to be seen, Greenlandic media KNR reports.

Greenland gained autonomy from Denmark in 1979 and was granted self-rule in 2009, though Copenhagen retains control of foreign and defence affairs.

A spokesperson for the constituent country’s parliament said the flag was not raised as the result of a “regrettable oversight”.

She told KNR that an investigation would take place to determine why janitors at the Inatsisartut and Naalakkersuisut parliament and government buildings did not receive instruction to raise the flag.

The decision to raise the Danish flag on June 5th was reportedly made last year in response to Denmark’s decision to raise Greenland’s flag on the Arctic island’s national day, June 21st.

Denmark also marks the national day of the Faroe Islands, also a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark, by raising the Faroese flag on July 29th.

READ ALSO: OPINION: Constitution Day is a celebration of political rights for all. Is Denmark neglecting them?

ENVIRONMENT

Greenland passes law banning uranium mining

Greenland's parliament voted Tuesday to ban uranium mining and exploration in the vast Danish territory, following through on a campaign promise from the ruling left-wing party which was elected earlier this year.

Published: 10 November 2021 09:31 CET
Greenland's parliament voted on November 9th to ban uranium mining. Prime Minister Mute Egede, pictured, said earlier this month he wanted to join the Paris climate agreement.
Greenland's parliament voted on November 9th to ban uranium mining. Prime Minister Mute Egede, pictured, said earlier this month he wanted to join the Paris climate agreement. File photo: Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix

The Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) party won snap elections in April that were originally triggered by divisions over a controversial uranium and rare earth mining project.

The IA won 12 seats in the 31-seat Greenlandic national assembly, beating its rival Siumut, a social democratic party that had dominated politics in the island territory since it gained autonomy in 1979.

On Tuesday 12 MPs in the national assembly voted to ban uranium mining, with nine voting against. 

The IA had campaigned against exploiting the Kuannersuit deposit, which is located in fjords in the island’s south and is considered one of the world’s richest in uranium and rare earth minerals.

The project, led by the Chinese-owned Australian group Greenland Minerals, has not yet been officially abandoned.

But French group Orano announced in May it would not launch exploration despite holding permits to do so.

The massive natural riches of the vast island — measuring two million square kilometres, making it larger than Mexico — have been eyed by many, but few projects have been approved.

The island is currently home to two mines: one for anorthosite, whose deposits contain titanium, and one for rubies and pink sapphires.

While Greenland’s local government is not opposed to all mining activities, it has also banned all oil exploration over concerns for the climate and the environment.

Earlier this month Prime Minister Mute Egede said he wanted to join the Paris climate agreement, which Greenland is one of the few countries not to have ratified.

READ ALSO: Greenland seabed scoured for marine diamonds

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