'The Race for the Arctic'
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
Map below: Inuit dialects
Updated with Mohawk Nation News article
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While diplomats debated who owns the Arctic and what to do about melting ice, climate change, shipping and the impending spread of oil and gas development, Inuit brought their own message to the Arctic Ocean Conference in 2008.
"Much of the Arctic belongs to the Inuit," Aqqaluk Lynge, vice president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) and now chair of the ICC, told the diplomats from five countries in 2008.
Wikileaks now provides a new look at the closed door discussions at the inaugural Arctic Ocean Conference, held in Ilulissat, Greenland May 27 — May 29, 2008. At the conference, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States, discussed environmental regulation, maritime security, mineral exploration, polar oil oversight, and transportation.
The Ilulissat Declaration was the result.
The Wikileaks cable provides the United States' perspective on the closed door talks. The cable includes Inuit statements on sovereignty and the necessity for Inuit consultation in decision making. The cable also includes Russia's statement on Russia's priority to Indigeno
us Peoples in policy making.The cable was written by US Ambassador James Cain in Copenhagen. (Full names are added in parenthesis by Censored News.)
The Cable:
US Ambassador Cain states, "(Inuit Aqqaluk) Lynge emphasized colonial errors of the past (including relocation of indigenous people from a community near Thule AFB) and asserted that 'all Inuit own the Arctic.'
"Asked by (Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig) Moeller whether he was afraid of new opportunities in the Arctic, Lynge replied 'we are not afraid of anything when we are included in the response.' He cited increased cooperation with U.S. researchers as positive and concluded that 'we need your assistance and you need our (traditional) knowledge,'" the cable states.
"Canadian minister (of natural resources Gary) Lunn lauded Inuit cultural respect for the environment and said that while continental shelf territorial claims could only be handled by sovereign states, local and indigenous residents of the Arctic should be involved in decision-making.
"(Russian Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov asked Lynge whether existing Arctic institutions needed to be modified. Lynge urged greater indigenous participation in all Arctic institutions," the cable states.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov led the Russian delegation.
Lavrov is quoted in the US cable. "On indigenous participation, Lavrov claimed Russia listened 'attentively' to concerns of indigenous residents of the Russian Arctic, saying that protection of indigenous rights is 'integral' to Russian Arctic policy."
The cable says the conference was a Danish initiative, in response to the "Race for the Arctic."
Inuit on Sovereignty
Later, in November of 2008, Lynge, president of the Greenland chapter of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) in 2008, stressed the importance of including Inuit in any negotiations among governments regarding sovereignty of the Arctic Ocean, according to an ICC press statement.
Lynge, said that the new question of who owns the Arctic is an old one for Inuit. “We debated this with our former colonizers and polar explorers who drew the maps and named places," Lynge said.
"The debate is reignited because of the anticipated acceleration of resource development in the Arctic as a result of the global warming."
The issue of geographic names and sovereignty was mentioned as an issue for Lynge when he told the ministers that place names now known as Hans Island (Tartupaluk) and Ellesmere Island (Umimmaat Nunaat) continue to have Inuit names and, in fact in the past the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, explorers, and others could not travel in the Arctic without the assistance of Inuit.
“The debate became most intense over the past few decades when we negotiated various self government arrangements” with the respective countries now claiming the Arctic. Lynge called upon the foreign ministers to respect the land claims and self-government arrangements they have negotiated with Inuit.
ICC announced that a pan-Inuit meeting would be held in Kuujjuaq, Canada in November, 2008, in which Inuit leaders would determine how they should collectively respond to the increasing debate about who owns the Arctic, whose ships will be allowed to traverse and benefit from it, and how to collectively protect its environment from potential disaster.
ICC is the organization that represents the 160,000 Inuit living in Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland on matters of international concern.
After the Arctic Ocean Conference, in November of 2008, Inuit leaders from Greenland, Alaska, and Canada met in Kuujjuaq and developed an "Inuit Declaration on Sovereignty in the Arctic."
Inuit: Sovereignty and Climate Change
There was a two-day Inuit Leader’s Summit on Arctic Sovereignty in Kuujjuaq. Patricia Cochran, Chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) said, "Sovereignty is a complex issue. It has a variety of overlapping elements, anchored in international law. But fundamentally it begins with the history and reality of Inuit use and occupation of Arctic lands and waters; that use and occupation is at the heart of any informed discussion of sovereignty in the Arctic. Arctic nation states must respect the rights and roles of Inuit in all international discussions and commitments dealing with the Arctic," according to ICC's Nov. 10th press statement from this gathering.
"Climate change has moved Arctic sovereignty to the front of the international agenda. We have all seen the escalating speculation about how drastic reduction of ice coverage will open the Arctic waterways to increased shipping traffic and expedited oil and gas development.
"Leaders agreed that the pursuit of resources through an agenda of Arctic sovereignty must involve coordinated strategies to ensure the Arctic has viable and healthy communities, sound civil administration, and responsible environmental management, not just ports, training facilities, and military exercises.
“One clear message from the convening of our meeting is that for all sorts of reasons - law, politics, and the very practical reason that the world stands to learn the most about the Arctic from the people who know the Arctic best - Inuit have an essential role in international discussions about arctic waters, marine transportation plans, environmental initiatives and mechanisms, and the future of international Arctic institutions and relations generally,” added Ms. Cochran.
US Conclusion: Hyperbole 'Race for the Arctic' is over
Meanwhile, Cain's diplomatic cable ends with the usual hyperbole, in a reference to the press conference, and claims the 'Race to the Arctic' was over.
The cable states, "Asked if the 'race for the Arctic' had ended in Ilulissat, (Denmark's Foreign Minister) Moeller gave an emphatic 'Yes,' and (Canadian) minister Lunn called out 'it never started!,' concluding the exchange with the press."
In his final comments, US Ambassador Cain admits that the conclusion of the conference was never in doubt, since the final agreement was made in advance. He also adds a comment about Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
"Conference outcomes were never in doubt, with the Ilulissat Declaration negotiated beforehand between all participants. FM Lavrov seemed keen to downplay Russian flag-planting and earn Russia credit for its search and rescue proposal."
Mohawk Nation News: 'Inuits are the natural custodians'
The following article, first published in 2009, is published here in its entirety with permission by Mohawk Nation News.
Arctic Grab -- Something Rotten in Denmark, Norway, Russia, US, Canada ....
By Mohawk Nation News
http://www.mohawknationnews.com/
(MNN. Aug. 5 09) More colonial subterfuge! Canada, US, Russia, Norway, Denmark and other imperialist entities are trying to steal the Indigenous area of northern Great Turtle Island. Climate change is causing the ice to recede. They all want to cart away our minerals, oil and gas. Ruskie and US subs have surfaced in the far north.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is standing around the North Pole, waving his arms and screaming, “I was the first crook here. So it’s all mine, mine, mine!” He wants the true inhabitants, the Inuit, to live there year round to assert Indigenous sovereignty. They can hold back the other foreigners while he and his friends gouge out the riches. To him Canada is the only imperialist that can rob us as it’s under the usurpation of the colony of Canada!
On January 28, 2006, the Women Title Holders of the Kanion’ke:haka issued a public notice of objection to this attempted seizure of our inherent right to the “Arctic Region” by these foreign states, corporations, “outsiders” and non-Indigenous interests. The Inuit, our family, are the natural custodians of this area which belongs to our unborn generations.
According to Wampum 44 of the Kaianereh’ko:wa, the Ongwehonwe Women Title Holders are the “progenitors of the soil” of Great Turtle Island. We are the Caretakers of the land, water and air. We told these capitalist blood suckers to stay away, that they have no business here.
Self-determination is a universal human right. The denial of a nation’s exis¬tence constitutes genocide, according to the many international covenants these states have pledged to uphold. Modern international law protects small peoples from incursions by aggressive states who use military and economic force to impose their will. Their turf war over our territory, waters and resources violates our customs, practices, occupation and rights.
We cannot surrender our birthright. This land is who we are. The Western Sahara decision provides that a territory cannot be incorporated in another state without the informed consent of the majority of its people. This was not done because they know that we will never agree to give up our identity.
No one made a treaty of cession with us to enter our Arctic waters and territory. International, federal, state and provincial entities cannot violate international law and the rule of law by superseding our jurisdiction over territory that we never surrendered.
Colonialism is illegal. Past agreements and treaties only allowed foreigners to live peacefully on our land.
Any foreigner wishing to enter our territory must deal with us through nation-to-nation protocol. No foreign entity and their corporate bodies and associated or visitor such as the colony of Canada can invite outsiders onto our territory or sell off our resources.
In Canada we took an action in the Supreme Court of Canada – Kanion’ke:haka Kaianereh’ko:wa Kanon’ses:neh v. Attorney General of Canada and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario, Court File: 05-CV-030785.
We brought this constitutional jurisdiction issue before the U.S. Supreme Court. See No. 05-165: 2005. In The Supreme Court of the United States In re Kanion’ke:haka Kaianereh’ko:wa Kanon’ses:neh, Non-party, Petitioner/Movant/Appellant, The Canadian St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians, Plaintiffs, Respondents, v. The State of New York, Defendants, Respondents. Petition for Writs of Certiorari and Quo Warranto with Prohibition and Mandamus in Aid to Prevent Genocide. Rules 17.1 and 20.1.
There are two camps: our enemy and ourselves. The increasing dependence of international capitalists on neo-colonial theft makes their existence and future uncertain. They are facing serious economic and social difficulties making them desperate. Some of the symptoms are rising prices, balance of payments problems, unemployment and social unrest. Their use of more violence, armed force and coercion indicates their panic and decline in their power.
The masses are resisting the might is right strategy. The capitalists are finding themselves in an unhealthy position. We must keep confronting them with the truth, which they’re saying is unpeaceful and annoying to them.
The Arctic has become unlivable due to the environmental destruction caused by the imperialists. The Inuit have the same duties to care for our mother, Great Turtle Island. We are brothers and sisters. We follow your issues and feel all the stresses that you are going through. We hope you won’t allow yourselves to be used by any of these foreign invaders. They are trying to exploit you and nothing good will come of it.
Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, http://www.mohawknationnews.com/ kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Go to MNN “WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
OBJECTION SENT TO: Canada; United States; Denmark; Russia; Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II; Governor General of Canada; all Provinces of Canada; President of United States; Department of Justice Canada; U.S. Department of Justice; Attorney General of Canada; U.S. Attorney General; Department of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior; Stock Exchanges Toronto, Montreal, New York, London. Tokyo, Hong Kong and Zurich; The Pentagon; U.S. Army and Navy; European Union; Department of Defense Canada; Canada Steamship Lines
Wikileaks and Inuit References:
ICC press statement Nov. 29, 2008
http://inuitcircumpolar.com/files/uploads/icc-files/PR-2008-11-29-IlulissatMediaRelease29May.pdf
ICC press statement Nov. 10, 2008
http://inuitcircumpolar.com/files/uploads/icc-files/PR-2008-11-10-KuujjuaqSovereigntyWorkshop.pdf
WIKILEAKS Cable:
http://91.214.23.156/cablegate/wire.php?id=08COPENHAGEN332&search
Today's news:
NUNATSIAQ NEWS: Baffin, Barbados face similar climate threats
Inuit leaders seek common front against warming
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/987895_baffin_barbados_face_similar_climate_threats/
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