Atuagagdliutit - 16.12.1993, Blaðsíða 2

2
ICC
DECEMBER 1993
The world is full of contradictions
EU-ppuisit pillugu peqqussummigut piniartut Inuit inuussutissarsiornerannut eqquiner-
lunnermigut ajortumik sunniuteqarsimanini taarsiifTigisariaqaraluarpaa puisit amiisa tu-
niniarneqarneranni takoqqusaaruteqarnikkut ikiuunnermigut. Assilissami takuneqarsin-
naapput 1983-imi Namminersornerullutik Oqartussat akiligaanikpuisit amiipillugitpaasi-
titsiniaanermi peqataasut. (Asseq: AG-ip toqqorsivianiit).
EUought to compensate for the negative impact of their Seal Directive on the Inuit hunters
by sponsoring a marketing campaign to promote seal products. The photo shows a scene
from the Greenland Home Rule sponsored seal skin campaign in 1983 (Foto: AG photo
archives)
Throughout the Rio Decla-
ration, the Agenda 21 and in
the World Wildlife Founda-
tion’s new objectives one
finds language that aims to
ensure cultural diversity
and the right to utilize natu-
re. Conservationists invite
indigenous representatives
to participate in their strate-
gy planning. Traditional
Knowledge is valuable, and
it is considered important
not to harm indigenous cul-
tures.
On the other hånd, ani-
mal protectionists have in-
fluence and power that of-
ten ruin these intentions.
The initiatives by Greenpea-
ce, the International Foun-
dation for Animal Welfare
(IFAW), Earth First and Sea
Shepherd, to name a few,
have convinced European,
North American and Au-
stralian politicians of two
things: 1. That the objecti-
ves of the animal protectio-
nists are true and import-
ant, and 2. that they repre-
sent so many people that the
politicians have to follow
and promote their objectives
and interests.
In this way, the politici-
ans of the Western World
are caught between interna-
tional human rights stan-
dards and the demands from
animal protectionists.
Protection of the environ-
ment and sustainable use of
nature are key issues to the
ICC, which is clearly reflec-
ted in our Arctic Policy do-
cument. Through contribu-
tion to research in our areas,
through lobbying and many
hours at different negotia-
tion tables, ICC has gained
influence not only in Alaska,
Canada and Greenland, but
also in international initiati-
ves like the Arctic Environ-
mental Protection Strategy
(AEPS).
The politicians are see-
mingly honest when they
sign human rights declara-
tions and documents rea-
ding that the gifts of nature
are available to mankind, as
it has been expressed by the
World Conservation Union
(IUCN), the United Nations
Environmental Programme
(UNEP) and the World
Wildlife Foundation (WWF)
in their document »Caring
for the Earth - A Strategy
for Sustainable Living,«:
»Every human being...has
the right...within the limits
of the Earth...to the resour-
ces needed for a decent stan-
dard of living«. It continues:
»Renewable resources are
the base of all economies:
people cannot live without
them. They include soil, wa-
ter, products we harves t
from the wild such as tim-
ber, nuts, medical plants,
fish and the meat and skins
of wild animals; domestica-
ted species raised by aqua-
culture and civilculture; and
ecosystems such as those of
rangelands, forest and wa-
ter.«
When the animal protec-
tionists interferes, however,
blind actions are taken. -
One example is the Europe-
an Union (EU) Seal Directi-
ve from 1983. This directive
aimed specifically at the tra-
de of furs from white and
silver seal pups. But, as you
know, it wiped out all the
seed fur trade, including the
trade with furs from adult
seals which until then had
been the very economic
foundation of the Inuit hun-
ters of Greenland. Now, a
decade later, our hunters
mainly hunt seal for food.
Sustainability has almost
become a joke in today’s si-
tuation. Seal skins and blub-
ber have to a great extent
become waste products that
are often found rotting at
the shore. The Greenland
tanneiy, Great Greenland
has a hard time trying to
survive and our hunters are
to a large extent depending
on social security program-
mes to cover their expenses
for housing, heating and ot-
her money-requiring goods.
The livelihood of our hun-
ting communities are se-
riously threatened and the
foundation of our culture is
in the process of being crus-
hed.
Politicians from EU ex-
press their regrets and un-
derstanding when these is-
sues are discussed, but you
only get pitying shrugs
when you ask them if they
are w illin g to take counter
active steps. - To them it se-
ems so obvious: If the majo-
rity of their constituency, or
even the whole nation want
to ban sealing or whaling -
what is more natural than to
work for a total ban? The
Western World builds its po-
licy on democracy. As one
Since 1990, and based on the
principles for the Inuit Re-
gional Conservation Strate-
gy (IRCS), the Danish Mini-
stry for the Environment
have granted project fun-
ding to the ICC on an annu-
al basis.
The projects have been
concerned with issues such
as the establishment and
ICC participation in the Arc-
tic Environmental Protec-
tion Strategy (AEPS); ICC
representation at interna-
tional meetings on renewa-
ble resources management;
Scientific projects have
politician expressed it: »If
my people want a ban on
whaling e.g., 1*11 have to deli-
ver. By opposing my voters I
would act undemocratical-
ly!«
That they at other occa-
sions also sign beautiful de-
clarations on individual and
collective human rights,
may give them a sleepless
night now and then.- A
member of the European
Parliament explained last
week that the EU had in faet
been looking at measures to
counter the unintended da-
mage of the seal hunt in
Greenland. He explained
that whatever action they
could think of had the cha-
racter of social welfare sub-
sidies which they, in turn,
perceived as being degra-
ding to the hunters.
They could show regrets
for their own deeds to our
hunters by funding a mar-
keting campaign to promote
the trade of seal products
from Greenland.
Another example of con-
tradiction: Atherosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries)
causes death through seve-
ral manifestations. Altoget-
her they constitute the most
frequent cause of death in
Europe and in the United
States, where they are la-
bled »The big killer«.
Every year half a million
people in the United States
contract thrombosis and die
from it, while one million ot-
included collection and do-
eumentation of Traditional
Knowledge; analysis of orga-
nochlorine (toxic Chemical)
contaminants in beluga;
stock determination of belu-
ga via DNA-analysis; studies
of narwhal reproduction;
and, population estimates
and dietaiy analysis on
thick-billed murre.
The Danish Ministry for
the Environment have addi-
tionally supported the publi-
cation of newsletters and
magazines about environ-
mental issues. The the pre-
sent Inuit Tusaataat new-
hers are permanently disa-
bled by the disease. Within
the same period USA spends
a billion dollars on medical
treatment of atherosclerosis
and thrombosis!
These diseases are more
or less unknown among
Inuit in Greenland, where a
70 year old, who has lived
from traditional food often
has coronary arteries just as
elastic as those of a 20 year
old European. Research
shows that the secret behind
these facts is to be found in
the polyunsaturated fatty
acids found in marine mam-
mals. How long will animal
protectionists and politici-
ans in Europe and the Uni-
ted States look at these facts
with their blind eye? In Gre-
enland we are ready to share
our sea mammal blubber
with the world.
If polyunsaturated fatty
acids from marine mammals
were accepted as an import-
ant daily supplement to Eu-
ropean and North American
food, millions of people
would probably live longer;
gain a higher quality in life;
and save the societies for
millions of dollars worth of
medicine. At the same time,
our hunters would get a
mueh needed cash contribu-
tion to their strained econo-
mies.
While the animal protec-
tionists fight for their ani-
mals, the whales, the baby
seals, the elephants etc. the-
sletter is sponsored by the
Danish Ministry for the En-
vironment.
In terms of the continued
participation of the ICC in
the Arctic Environmental
Protection Strategy and the
research, monitoring and
assessment programmes of
this strategy the Danish Mi-
nister for the Environment
made a commitment, at the
Second Ministerial Meeting
in Nuuk, to sponsor an in-
ternational secretariat in
Greenland or Denmark to
support the Indigenous par-
ticipation in the AEPS.
re seems to be a growing un-
derstanding for sustainable
use of wildlife.
Conferences are held in
all corners of the world to
which ICC is invited. The
World Conservation Union
(IUCN) will hold a conferen-
ce on sustainable use of
wildlife in Buenos Aires, Ar-
gentina in January 1994.
The Danish Minister for the
Environment and the Gre-
enland Home Rule Govern-
ment have donated an Inter-
national Indigenous Secre-
tariat to the Arctic Environ-
mental Protection Strategy
(AEPS) to strengthen the
participation of the ICC, the
Sami Council and the Asso-
ciation of Indigenous Small
Peoples of the Russian Fe-
deration in the AEPS work.
The Marine Mammal Pro-
tection Act of the United
States is now under revision
and ICC takes part in the
hearings on proposed
amendments.
There is still a wide gap
between the intentions of
the Rio Declaration, the
Agenda 21 and the WWF re-
newed objectives, and the
deeds of the animal protec-
tionists.
Nonetheless, the indige-
nous peoples’ inereased par-
ticipation in local and inter-
national strategy planning
and policy making, and the
international awareness of
indigenous issues may alto-
gether be signs of 'spring ti-
me’ for us. This would be an
appropriate conclusion of
the United Nations’ year de-
voted to indigenous peoples,
and a good beginning of the
up-coming international de-
cade for indigenous peoples.
Together with the Sami
Council, the Russian Indige-
nous Peoples and the Indi-
genous Survival Internatio-
nal (ISI), to name a few, we
are looking forward to conti-
nue to work for the benefit
of indigenous peoples.
Ingmar Egede
Vice President
ICC Greenland
December 1993
INUIT TUSAATAAT
Saqqummersitsisoq/Publisher:
Inuit Issittormiut Kattuffiat (ICC)
Pissasiarineqarsinnaanera/
Production and distribution:
AG, Box 39, 3900 Nuuk. December 1993
Naqiterneqarnera/Printing: Kujataata Naqiterivia
ICC Head Office:
3201 »C« Street, Suite 608
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-3934 USA
Tel: 907-563-6971, Fax: 907-562-0880
ICC Regional Offices:
Chukotka:
Laurentia, Chukotka 688940
Tel: (0)22-437/22-572/22-946
Fax: (0)42-460 (Tel. via operator)
Canada:
170 Laurier Street, Suite 504
Ottawa, Ontario, KIP 5V5, Canada
Tel: 613-563-2642, Fax:613-565-3089
Greenland:
Kujallerpaat 6
P.O.Box 204, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
Tel: + 299 23632, Fax: + 299 23001
Aaqqissuisut/Editors:
Ingmar Egede (akis. aaqq./editor)
Hjalmar Dahl, Alfred Jakobsen
Marianne Lykke Thomsen
Allaaserinnittut/Contributions:
Ingmar Egede, Hjalmar Dahl
Alfred Jakobsen, Chester Reimar (ICC Canada)
Marianne Lykke Thomsen
Tusaatip saqqaanik titartaasoq/ Cover illustration:
Kunngi Frederiksen
Inuit Issittormiut Kattuffiata siulersuisui
Inuit Circumpolar Conference Executive Council
Alaska:
Siulitaasoq/President: Caleb Pungowiyi,
Siulitaasoq tullia/Vice-President: Gloria Simeon
Siulersuisuni ilaasortaq/Council Member: John Sha-
effer
Chukotka:
Siulitaasoq tullia/Vice-President: Zoya Ivanova
Siulersuisuni ilaasortaq/Council Member: Ludmilla
Ainana
Canada:
Siulitaasoq tullia/Vice-President: Minnie Gray
Siulersuisuni ilaasortaq/Council Member: Les Car-
penter
Greenland:
Siulitaasoq tullia/Vice-President: Ingmar Egede
Siulersuisuni ilaasortaq/Council Member: Aqqaluk
Lynge
Funding from the Danish Ministry
for the Environment