The Inuit must be included in all discussions about Greenland’s future, demands the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) in view of the increasingly tense geopolitical situation. The current policy of the US federal government under President Donald Trump raises serious human rights concerns. In particular, the offer to purchase the entire island represents a renewed colonialist threat that not only undermines Greenland’s sovereignty, but above all jeopardizes the rights, land, and culture of the Inuit.
“The Inuit lived in Greenland long before the arrival of European colonizers. They are the rightful guardians of this land. Their voice must be heard in the political discourse on the future of Greenland,“ demands Eliane Fernandes, STP’s Advisor on Indigenous Peoples. ”We call on the US and the EU to respect and protect the rights of the Inuit of Greenland. They are obliged to do so under international human rights agreements,” Fernandes reminds us.
The Inuit make up around 90 percent of Greenland’s population and are divided into three main groups: Kalaallit, Tunumiit, and Inughuit. They have lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years and have a deep cultural heritage that must be preserved.
“The Inuit are fighting for the protection and preservation of the Arctic. At a time when climate change and resource scarcity are weighing heavily on the world, it is essential that their rights and the protection of their land are at the center of all discussions about the future development of the region,” says Fernandes.
For Nivi Rosing, a member of the Greenlandic Parliament, the idea that colonial powers are still trying to gain control over their land is inconceivable. “We are in 2026. We’re so past colonial times. We’re a recognized people. We have our own government, we have our own prime minister, and we are getting ready for our independence,” she told Canadian Geographic magazine.
Since 2018, during Trump’s first term, Greenland has made it clear that it rejects American influence, Rosing says. “We’re open for cooperation, but on respectful terms. But they don’t seem to respect that.”
This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at 65]G378o6DD6CA.
Contact: Dr. Eliane Fernandes, Advisor on Indigenous Peoples – 65]G378oD65?2?C67]6