Greenland, semiautonomous Danish territory, takes symbolic leap: 75% voters vote for independence. Oil, key issue?

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The inhabitants of the world's largest island turned out yesterday in midwinter darkness to vote for what many believe is the first step towards independence. The people of Greenland voted overwhelmingly for increased autonomy from Denmark - a move that will see the 56,000-strong population take greater control over the island's potentially huge natural resources and mean Greenlandic becomes the official language.

According to the island's election commission, 76% of voters supported the proposal, which outlined a system for sharing future oil revenues with Denmark and gave locals control over the courts, the police and the coastguard. Denmark would retain responsibility for security and foreign relations. The referendum was supported by the Danish government.

Around 72% of the island's 40,000 registered voters cast their ballots at voting stations in 18 municipalities. The high turnout came despite the small number of daylight hours and sub-zero temperatures in many parts of the island, 80% of which is covered by ice. The system is likely to come into effect from June 21 next year, the island's national day. It is almost certain to be rubber-stamped by the Danish and Greenlandic parliaments.

"The tears are running down my cheeks," said Greenland's prime minister, Hans Enoksen. "We have said yes to the right of self-determination, and with this we have accepted a great responsibility." The Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, welcomed the vote. He said: "The people of Greenland, with a clear majority, voted yes to self-rule within the national community [of Denmark and Greenland]." All of Greenland's main political groups supported a yes vote except for the opposition Democrats, who expressed reservations about whether islanders could handle all the new areas of responsibility.

Last year Aleqa Hammond, the foreign minister in Greenland's government, told the Guardian: "It is natural for a country to want to be independent. We do not feel ourselves part of Europe - we are an Arctic people - but our way of life is changing and we have to change with it. "

One issue at the heart of the referendum is that of oil revenues. Extensive exploration has already been undertaken and other countries are also making claims to areas likely to be exposed by global warming as the Arctic ice cap melts. Under the referendum's plan the annual Danish subsidy of about 3.5bn kroner (about £395m), equal to around two-thirds of the island's economy, would be replaced. The new arrangement would give Greenland the first 75m kroner of annual oil revenue, with any income beyond that split equally between Greenland and Denmark.

POLITICS: In 1979, the Home Rule agreement gave Greenland a semiautonomous status within the Kingdom of Denmark and established the 31-seat parliament that is elected for a four-year period. The government coalition includes Premier Hans Enoksen's social democratic Siumut party and the liberal Atasut party.

Greenland and the Faeroe Islands — another semiautonomous Danish territory — are represented in the Danish parliament by two deputies each. Denmark's Queen Margrethe is the head of state.

HISTORY: Viking chieftain Eric the Red landed on the giant island more than 1,000 years ago and founded a small Norse settlement. He named the island Greenland, because of its green pastures. In 1776, Greenland became a Danish colony.

During World War II, Nazi Germany occupied Denmark but not Greenland. The U.S. built stepping stone air force bases there for war planes heading for Europe. At the same time, they supplied Greenland with goods that eventually influenced the population and led to demands that the island develop into a modern society. Home rule was introduced in 1979.

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Photos courtesy of John Rassmussen / AFP / Getty, Clim-ATIC, John McConnico / The New York Times, and AFP

Original Source: Guardian and International Herald Tribune