ERR in Greenland: Local population's future in the balance
Greenlanders are living with a big question mark hanging over their heads. Yet everything, be it at NATO, the European Union or the United States level, seems to be decided without their input too.
Astrid Kannel traveled to Greenland's capital, Nuuk, to report for "Aktuaane kaamera" at a time of demonstrations against and concerns with the Donald Trump administration's designs on the world's largest island, with a population of a little under 57,000.
Greenland has for centuries been part of the Kingdom of Denmark and administered by it, with a devolved parliament. Nuuk residents are both Inuit and Danes.
The country may find itself alone, however, with the apparent attempts to sow confusion among NATO allies, which the U.S. is taking with the new tariff threats.
"Then we have problems. I think we can't stand against the USA. If they really want to do it with military power, we can't do anything about that," one Nuuk resident, Anders, told ERR.
Another, Ole, said: "I wonder what type of future we are looking to, in case we let Trump bully us like that."
Saturday's demonstration in Nuuk was unprecedented in its size. One local resident, Cecil, said Trump should "Think again" and take Greenland's people, and the need for peace there and elsewhere, into account.
Another local, Kaali, said "no one wants to be colonized again," adding that "another imperialist" power emerging "cannot happen," while Nukappiaaluk said they had no desire to be an American.
The U.S. has charged Denmark with being unable to defend Greenland from a Russian and Chinese naval presence. But how strongly is the Danish military presence felt in Nuuk? In the current situation, people would like to see much more of a presence, and immediately, even with the escalation risks that might bring.
"A part of the problem also is, I imagine, that nobody wants to escalate the situation," Ole said, adding that "I bet they (Danish forces – ed.) will come if needed."
While Germany only held a short reconnaissance deployment, already concluded, several other NATO countries, Estonia included, have said they are deploying military personnel, albeit in very small numbers and for exercise purposes. "I didn't see any [troops], so no. There are so few troops, so I don't know what they're doing," Nuuk local Aqqalu said. "We heard about it, we have seen them in the media, in the news," said another resident, Annaukkak.
There were two Danish naval vessels at anchor in Nuuk harbor when the report was filed, but locals know that the larger of the two has a non-functioning armament, and the ship is mainly designated for search and rescue tasks.
"We know they are present, but normally we don't see them in town. I would say there are the navy ships, for instance, so there is a certain presence," Ole added.
However, not all Greenlanders are so resolved, Kannel explained.
Nuuk and most other settlements are on the west side of the 2.166 million-square-kilometer island, but there are people on the east coast, further away from North America, who are more open to the Trump plan.
"For example, in smaller settlements in East Greenland, where people feel they have been abandoned. They are not doing well and they demand change, and they believe that Donald Trump would bring them that change," Kannel told "Välisilm."
The Arctic Joint Command is based in Nuuk and employs around 80 personnel, military and civilian. The command declined to give comment.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Johanna Alvin
Source: 'Aktuaane kaamera'
