The Copenhagen Post | Sep 28-Oct 4

Oliver’s Danish father guilty in Austrian court

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Pursuit of gunrunner may finally pay off for India

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28 September - 4 October 2012 | Vol 15 Issue 39

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NEWS

Safe in the bosom of the

Nanny State

Danish students’ leisurely approach to university studies is costing the state coffers dearly

State’s expansion into personal affairs fosters “loser mentality”, some say

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NEWS

4,8

Young and inexperienced The government says it’s focused on jobs, but seven ministers have no work experience at all

5 NEWS

Spate of violent incidents lead to police fears of a new war between the Hells Angels and Bandidos

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BUSINESS

Maersk Drilling invests heavily in Arctic-ready rigs to the concernation of environmentalists

15

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CHRISTIAN WENANDE Rising unemployment and the slashing of welfare benefits have resulted in more people considered poor by OECD standards

Sea of opportunity?

9 771398 100009

Increasing number of Danes living below poverty line

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NEW ANALYSIS by Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd (AE), an economic policy institute and think-tank working to promote social justice, indicates that an increasing number of Danes can be considered poor.

The analysis, which looked at poverty numbers from 2002-2010, conveys that nearly a quarter of a million Danes live below the poverty line, as per the definition used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

According to Berlingske newspaper, that definition translates to a monthly income of 8,788 kroner a month for a

single person or 5,047 kroner per person for a family of four.

And it is especially the areas around the capital of Copenhagen where things look dire. Brøndby, Albertslund, Ishøj, Copenhagen and Høje-Taastrup Councils experienced the greatest increase in poverty.

From 2002 to 2010, poverty levels in Brøndby Council rose by 3.7 percent, while it rose 3.4 and 3.3 percent in Albertslund and Ishøj, respectively.

In Brøndby, the challenge comes from many residents being poorly educated. According to the council’s mayor, Ib Terp (Socialdemokraterne), the council is meeting those problems by urging youths to get an education.

“There are a lot of families who are having a tough time and are insecure with the current situation,” Terp told Berlingske.

But it’s not only blue-collar areas

that have experienced a rise in the number of people living under the poverty line. Traditionally wealthy areas such as Frederiksberg Council and Holbæk Council have also been struggling. In fact, there is not a single council in Denmark that has experienced a decrease of the number of people living in poverty.

Struer Council in central Jutland performed the best, with a 0.4 percent rise over the eight-year period.

Overall, Copenhagen has the most cases of poverty by far. There were 41,419 in 2010, up from 25,170 in 2002. Aarhus Council has 14,166, Odense Council has 9,428 and Aalborg Council has 7,696.

Morten Ejrnæs, who researches poverty at Aalborg University, said it was “worrying” that poverty has increased during the years in which employment rates in Denmark have generally been high.

“When unemployment numbers

are on the rise and the welfare benefit duration is shorter, then there are more people that fall out of the system,” Ejrnæs told Berlingske. “That means that the poverty will impact on a wider margin.”

OECD’s definition of poverty has been criticised for being too rigid, but AE has used the definition for a number of years because it is an internationally-approved definition used throughout the EU. An official poverty limit does not currently exist in Denmark, although there is a group of government-appointed experts looking to change that.

Karen Hækkerup (S), the integration and social minister, is awaiting the new Danish definition of poverty, which is expected in the spring of 2013, but indicated that the government has already initiated a number of schemes that are designed to tackle the issue.

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Week in review

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

CPH Post Word of the Week:

28 September - 4 October 2012 THE WEEK’S MOST READ STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

Rocker (noun) – member of a biker gang, such as the Hells Angels or Bandidos. Where you heard it: After numerous violent incidents this past week, police fear that a new gang war is brewing Colourbox

Start ‘em young

Still Adjusting | Back off, rugbrød fascists Kate’s boobs coming to Denmark Opinion | Freedom of expression and the holy Koran Anger over Mohammed film reaches Copenhagen Danes overwhelmingly support their own blasphemy law

FROM OUR ARCHIVES TEN YEARS AGO. A lack of medical specialists in Denmark spurs health officials to look abroad. Polish specialists rank among the most sought-after practitioners.

FIVE YEARS AGO. The Metro reports disappointing passenger levels, but the extension of the driverless system to Copenhagen Airport is expected to boost numbers.

According to Statistics Denmark, more and more kids are given their first mobile phone before the age of ten. Steve Jobs would have been so proud

was completely natural because men use their efforts in the workplace while women focus more on children and families. Olsen’s stance was met with a hail of criticism. Pernille Vigsø Bagge, the equality spokesperson for Socialistisk Folkeparti, said Olsen must not realise that it is 2012 and that a woman is currently the PM.

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Construction on a new harbour-side recreational facility will soon get underway opposite Islands Brygge. Dubbed the Kalvebod Waves, the pier will be built out into the water and cover 4,000 square metres. Area residents have previously voiced disapproval at the number of expensive high-rise buildings that

President and Publisher Ejvind Sandal Chief Executive Jesper Nymark Editor-in-Chief Kevin McGwin Managing Editor Ben Hamilton News Editor Justin Cremer Journalists Peter Stanners, Ray Weaver & Christian Wenande

dominate the harbour. Earlier in September, activists dressed as pirates protested against the lack of life on the harbour by chasing mayor Frank Jensen (S) as he took a tour on a canal boat. The city’s deputy mayor for technical affairs Ayfer Baykal (SF) acknowledged the need to develop a more inclusive and active harbour.

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Colourbox

Liberal Alliance employment spokesperson Joachim B Olsen has agreed with a statement by the head of HR at AP Moller Maersk, which appeared on the company’s intranet, claiming that men are paid more than women because they are more ambitious, work harder and earn more seniority. Olsen said that the pay gap

JDS Architects

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Foot in mouth

ONE YEAR AGO. A fire destroys the historic multi-purpose venue KB Hallen in Frederiksberg.

Switch it off

Both Danish energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions fell in 2011, and an increasing amount of the nation’s energy was supplied by renewable sources. The financial crisis, warm weather and green investments all contributed to the positive energy numbers.

Renewable energy accounted for

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23.6 percent of the total energy consumption in 2011, compared to 22.1 percent in 2010. Energy consumption fell 6.4 percent, almost to levels not seen since 1990. While 2011’s relatively warm weather played a part, the ongoing economic crisis and sluggish growth also contributed to the drop in energy use.

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News

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Two billion kroner a year could be saved if Danes got through their university education quicker

Colourbox

Peter Stanners

Colourbox

Students cost state dearly by taking too long to finish studies

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anish university students are taking too long to finish their studies, and it is costing the state billions of extra kroner a year.

According to a recent study by the think-tank Kraka, Danes take an extra 4.5 years to finish a five-year university education, compared to if they had started directly after upper-secondary and finished without taking any breaks.

Most of the problem lies in getting students started. On average, Danes take three gap years before starting. They then take, on average, 1.5 years of extra breaks during their studies.

These delays mean that, according to a 2011 OECD report, Danish university students take far longer to finish their studies than their European counterparts.

Later this year, the government will present its education reform, which it hopes will speed up university education and save two billion kroner a year.

“As opposed to our predecessors, we are not going to just cut a year of [state-allocated student allowance] SU,” the education minister, Morten Østergaard (Radikale), told Politiken newspaper. “We are working on a comprehensive and broad spectrum reform in which we will both look at the SU system and the unnecessary delays that occur as a result of dead-ends and barriers in the education system.”

According to Per Christian Andersen of the University of Southern Denmark, one of the reasons for the delays is due to how late Danish primary education starts.

“In the Anglo-Saxon educational systems, where you start school as a five-year-old and finish by the time you’re 17 or 18, you are more willing to leave home in search of an education

“No, really, I’m this close to graduating”

because you haven’t established your independence yet with your own apartment or significant other,” Andersen told Politiken.

“Our youths often take an extra year in tenth grade and finish on average when they’re 19 or 20.”

Esben Anton Schultz, a Kraka researcher and co-author of its recent education study, said that it highlighted how severe the problem of delays to further education were, ahead of the government’s planned reform.

“It’s realistic that changes can be made,” he told The Copenhagen Post. “There are different ways to try and change it, but one way could be modifying the very generous support that Danish students receive in order to motivate people to finish their studies earlier.”

The state-allocated student allowance SU has already been the target of cuts by the former government. But several organisations support cutting it even further to get students through the system faster.

The national chamber of commerce, Dansk Erhverv, has proposed dropping SU during the two-year master’s phase.

“You could easily turn the master’s part of the SU into a loan in order to motivate students to finishing their education, which they and the rest of society will benefit from,”

Morten Jarlbæk Pedersen, a political consultant for Dansk Erhverv, told Avisen.dk.

Denmark largest business lobby group, Dansk Industri, has also proposed cutting SU from six years to five and reducing the number of primary school students who take the optional tenth grade before starting upper-secondary school.

The government’s common platform, published after its election last September, lists speeding up education as a priority. In the platform, the government states that it will “keep the SU system in its current form, but investigate possible positive incentives within the SU system that will both get young people to start their education earlier and finish it faster than they currently do”.

The government said it would also examine possible ways of shortening further education by, for example, adding a third semester each year and shortening holidays.

Earlier this month, figures from Statistics Denmark revealed that every fourth student who graduated from upper-secondary school in 2001 had not completed further education by 2011.

“Naturally, I’m surprised by the number,” Pedersen told Ritzau news agency. “After ten years, most of them should have come a step further.”

Although treatment is better than ever, a variety of factors including problems with diet and alcohol, mean that more Danes are dying of cancer today than ten years ago

More Danes dying of cancer Rising life expectancy and poor lifestyle choices are to blame for an increase in cancer diagnoses, but prognoses involving children are more positive than ever

D

espite cancer treatments being more effective than ever, statistics from the Health Ministry indicate that more Danes died of cancer in 2010 than in any one of the previous ten years.

Three out of ten deaths in Denmark, or 15,799 deaths in 2010, can be attributed to cancer, which has become the leading cause of death amongst Danes.

However, some of the increase can be attributed to the average life expectancy of Danes.

“When the statistics are adjusted for population make-up, since there are more elderly and thus more cancer cases, then we actually see a small decline,” Hans Henrik Storm, a doctor from the cancer society Kræftens Bekæmpelse, told Politiken newspaper.

Cancer treatment has never been as effective in Denmark as it is now, and considerable efforts to improve the quality of

treatment have been a success.

But because doctors have become better at catching cancer early, combined with a rising life expectancy, more cancer cases than before are being diagnosed.

The Danish lifestyle also contributes to the dilemma through a prevalence of bad habits in terms of diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking and sun bathing, all of which can cause and accelerate cancer.

About 235,000 Danes are currently living with a cancer diagnosis. In 2010 there were 35,563 new cases, a small drop from the previous year, but over ten percent more than in the year 2000. The number of cancer-related deaths increased slightly from 2009 to 2010, but since the year 2000 the number has risen by about 2 percent.

“The number of Danes who survive cancer is reasonably constant, but at the same time there are more who unfortunately get the illness,” Morten Høyer, a professor and cancer researcher at Aarhus University Hospital, told Politiken. “But in fact a greater number survive cancer today because our treatment is much better. Especially the

Our treatment is much better – especially the combination of effective surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy combination of effective surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy has led to this success.”

Despite the treatment improvement, cancer mortality in Denmark continues to be higher than the other Nordic countries.

But one of the bright spots is in the treatment of children.

Cancer cells in children are particularly sensitive to treatment and the more effective methods have dramatically increased the survival rate.

In the 1960s, only about 30 percent of Danish children diagnosed with cancer were still alive five years later. That number has risen to nearly 90 percent today. (CW)

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Cover story

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Don’t worry, Big Mother will watch over you Ray Weaver The Nanny State has reached a point where three quarters of Danes would turn to the government for help instead of their families

B

ig Mother. The Holy Welfare State. The Nanny State. The nation’s social safety net is called many different things by many different people. Depending on who you ask, the Danish system of social assistance is either a shining example of nurturing to be followed by the rest of the world, or a bloated monstrosity that robs the populace of individualism, initiative and ambition by attempting to meet their every need.

Whatever one’s opinion, Big Mother is completely interwoven into the national psyche.

Fully 75 percent of 1,000 Danes asked in a recent Centre for Political Studies (CEPOS)/Norstat poll said that they would turn to the state before their own families in times of need.

Henrik Gade Jensen, a senior fellow at CEPOS, found those numbers disturbing.

“It is remarkable that 75 percent of Danes would rather depend on the state than their own family,” Jensen said.

“This clearly shows that the welfare state has become so extensive that we have forgotten our obligations to ourselves and our loved ones.”

Jensen said that the constitution’s intent was never that the state would take the place of families and individuals when it comes to caring for the nation’s citizens.

“The Danish constitution only intended that the most vulnerable with no other options had a safety net,” he said.

Jensen warned that current economic conditions make it impossible for governments, be they municipal or national, to provide universal services to everyone who needs them.

Recent moves by two Danish councils, however, seem to indicate that the populace is still expecting that the government is there to help

them solve all of their problems, no matter how personal.

Kolding Council recently decided to become the first in the country to offer volunteer counselling to couples contemplating divorce. Scheduled to open just after Christmas – the peak season for divorces in Denmark – the council’s website and volunteer counselling service will be paid for by the town in an effort to reduce the number of divorces in Kolding.

“Everyone is affected by divorce,” Kolding’s mayor, Jørn Pedersen (Venstre), told public broadcaster DR. While admitting that marriage counselling was not a traditional governmental function, Pedersen said that divorces eat up a lot of council resources, both emotionally and financially.

Pedersen said that he hopes the programme will help catch couples in the early stages of problems and give them a place to talk things through. Kolding also plans to offer marriage courses.

Klaus Markussen, a Venstre chairman in the north Zealand town of Hillerød, thinks that Kolding may be going a step too far.

“From my point of view, actions like this from local governments are borderline,” Markussen said. “No-one wants a nanny state that takes away personal responsibility. These programmes must be run in such a way that citizens realise that, in the long run, they are still responsible f o r

their own lives.”

In the Jutland city of Aarhus, Big Mother has taken on residents’ individual habits.

In August, Aarhus became the first council in Denmark to completely ban smoking in city workplaces. A nationwide ban on smoking in schools and other educational institutions is on the way, but Aarhus

decided to go one step further.

“The World Health Organisation singled out smoking as the most influential factor affecting mortality in Denmark,” said Astrid Kriegbaum Westphael, an Aarhus Council spokesperson.

“Aarhusians who smoke daily cut as many as ten years from their lives and run the risk of living for many years with any number of long-term, severe diseases.”

Westphael said the enormous cost of council employees smoking – both in the form of medical treatment and lost worker hours through absenteeism and smoking breaks – are one reason why the council decided to take such an unprecedented step.

Employee unions criticised the council for making the move without first checking with workers and their representatives.

“The fight against

increased absenteeism should be targeted at better working conditions – focusing on an individual’s behaviour is not the way forward,” Hans-Henrik Hansen, the president of HK Municipal Jutland, a municipal employees union, said in a statement. “Workplaces should be designed to promote public health, not the reverse.”

Carsten Toft-Hansen, a member of Venstre’s Hillerød board, said that city councils should not be in the business of

We must do away with the loser mentality that makes us slaves of the state legislating personal choice.

“Initiatives like this walk a thin line,” said Toft-Hansen.

“Neither national nor local governments should force lifestyles or behaviours down our throats, but should instead encourage behaviours that benefit both the individual and the community.”

As if tackling smoking wasn’t enough, Aarhus has also been taking on the weighty problem of childhood obesity.

Since 2008, the council has been screening children as they start school. If the child is found to be overweight – having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30 – the school contacts the council and the child’s parents to work together to get the child’s weight down.

Aarhus’s 75 percent success rate puts it in first place among the 30 councils participating in the ‘Fit to Fight’ programme.

“The longer a child is overweight, the greater the risk there is of obesity in adulthood,” said Henriette Hansen, a healthcare consultant for children and adolescents in Aarhus.

Aarhus works with overweight kids and their parents for a year. The children play sports two hours a week, and the parents meet with the families of other overweight youngsters.

Although Markussen is suspicious of most governmental interventions into private lives, he thinks the idea of catching overweight kids when they are young is a good one.

“When it comes to overweight kids, all of the evidence suggests that early action is preferable in reducing the health issues related to obesity,” he said.

CEPOS’s Jensen said it was time to look at whether the welfare state has gone too far.

“There is a need for both political and public debate about whether the welfare state has become too prevalent,” said Jensen.

“We must do away with the loser mentality that makes us slaves of the state rather than preparing the individual to take care of themselves and their loved ones.”

Online this week Seven of eight arrestees in PKK case held on remand After two days of preliminary hearings last week, seven of the eight people arrested on Tuesday for allegedly funding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) will be held on remand for 26 days, police announced.

The eighth arrestee has been released. “The court found that there is reason to suspect that

seven of the accused are guilty of the charges against them,” Jakob Buch-Jensen, the senior prosecutor for the Copenhagen Police, said in a statement. The seven to be held on remand all appealed the decision to the High Court, while the prosecution appealed the decision to release the eighth suspect.

Trans-woman gets last-minute reprieve Guatemalen trans-woman Fernanda Milán said that an eleventh-hour decision by Flygtningenævnet, the government’s refugee board, to revisit her application for asylum may have saved her life. “The thing I was most afraid of was that I would be killed if I was sent back to Guatemala,” Milán told Politiken newspaper.

Milán was due to be flown out of Denmark last week on Monday.

Flygtningenævnet agreed to reopen the case, which was declared a “small victory” by T-Refugee, an organisation that supports Milán and other transgender asylumseekers. Seventeen transsexuals were killed in Guatemala in the first five months of this year.

Quiet night on the sofa shattered by gunfire A couple relaxing in an allotment hut in southwest Copenhagen on Saturday night were wounded by a barrage of bullets that shattered the hut’s windows.

A 33-year-old Danish man suffered a flesh wound to the face and other more serious bullet

wounds to his upper arm and shoulder. A 23-year-old Swedish woman was wounded in the thigh. Both victims were taken to Rigshospitalet and are out of danger. According to police, it was a case of “people who were angry at each other”.

Read the full stories at cphpost.dk

News

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Ministers lack real-world experience

M

any of the government’s key ministers are unable to draw upon much personal experience when they try to spark life into the job market.

The employment minister has only two years of experience – all obtained while working for the confederation of trade unions, LO, while she was still getting her education. The tax minister, who is technically still a student, has no real-world experience on his CV. And the finance minister, aside from student jobs, has only been employed by his own political party.

In total, seven of the country’s 23 ministers have not had a real-world job since completing their education, while another four ministers have under five years of experience in the job market.

While the job market is the government’s stated top priority, only 12 ministers have over five years of experience on their CV. The employment minister, Socialdemokraterne’s (S) Mette Frederiksen, wouldn’t directly address how her limited professional experience affects her knowledge of the job market. In an email to the media via her press manager, she said: “That is a fair discussion to have because, of course, professional experience is important. Whatever the circumstances, politicians and ministers need to keep themselves well-informed and keep in good and frequent contact with Danes from all elements of society.”

The health minister, Astrid Krag

Scanpix/Jens Nørgaard Larsen

Government wants to create more jobs, but many ministers have no, or very little, experience in the job market they want to kickstart

Scanpix/Torkil Adsersen

Scanpix/Niels Ahlmann Olesen

Jyllands-Posten

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is also the reason why my party is losing the votes of the workers. It also affects the political debate as so few have been out in the real world for more than five years.

When we talk about the jobs environment, it’s not with the same knowledge and understanding that others have.”

Jensen, among other things, was a dock worker for 17 years.

An isolated bubble

Three ministers: zero years of post-education professional working experience. Throw in four more ministers and the number of combined working years would remain the same

(Socialistisk Folkeparti), didn’t complete her education in political science.

She points, however, to her job working as a cashier at Netto while she was at upper-secondary school and as a daycare assistant for one and a half years after her upper-secondary education. She also worked for six months as a home carer before entering parliament.

“It has meant a lot for me to have experience that comes from being in the job market,” she said. “I learned the most from my time as a home carer. It really requires a lot from a person when they stand alone in the house of an older resident who is in need of care.”

She argued that a lack of professional experience is only a problem if politi-

cians never enter the real world.

“I was elected to parliament at the age of 24, so of course I can’t have 25 years of experience,” Krag said. “But as a politician, I have always made it a priority to go out and visit nursing homes, health centres and hospitals. I was also an intern at a hospital, where I shadowed doctors on their rounds.”

Her ‘internship’, however, consisted of only one single day.

Jyllands-Posten’s investigation showed that newly-elected politicians have become younger and less-experienced over the past 50 years. In 1966, only four percent of newly-elected MPs had less than five years professional experience. In 2007, that figure was 35

percent, while in 2011, 37 percent of the new MPs had less than five years of work experience.

Among the other ministers with no experience are the European minister, Nicolai Wammen (S,) and the social minister, Karen Hækkerup (S).

The prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt (S), has only two years of experience working for LO. According to fellow S member, and the party’s job market spokesperson, Leif Lahn Jensen, the party’s cumulative lack of professional experience is reflected in S’s poor polling numbers.

“I think it is one of the reasons that universities are prioritised while vocational schools are starved,” Jensen said. “It

A study by think-tank Cevea from last year showed that 64 percent of MPs were academics. In the general public, academics only account for seven percent.

Professor Niels Kærgård from the University of Copenhagen compared MPs’ professional experience in 1966 to that of 2007. He believes that parliament has become an isolated bubble that has floated further and further away from voters.

“Firstly, you have a group of professional politicians who don’t resemble the people they represent. In previous years, parliament had farm owners who represented the interests of farm owners and so on,” Kærgård said. “Secondly, it brings up the question of whether they can make unpopular decisions. They have a personal interest in not challenging voters because they have no vocation to fall back upon.”

Kærgård pointed to the early retirement scheme, efterløn, as an example.

Economic experts had long recommended limiting efterløn without politicians reacting.

“That could of course be attributed to many things, but I think that career politicians are a contributing factor,” he said. “In the old days, being called a career politician was an insult, but today, that’s what almost all of them are.”

Danish media pounced on a speculative blog post by a Financial Times journalist over the prospect of PM ThorningSchmidt ‘doing-an-Anders-Fogh’ and jumping ship for Brussels

Scanpix/Henning Bagger

Peter Stanners

S

hould beleaguered PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt fancy a change of scenery, she stands a chance of succeeding José Manuel Barroso as the next European Commission president in 2014.

At least that was the message in many national media outlets last week on Thursday after a Financial Times reporter included the Danish PM on a list of likely candidates who could replace Barroso at the next elections.

The Financial Times online article stated that there had been “some chatter” about Thorning-Schmidt in Brussels.

“Thorning-Schmidt has seen her poll numbers plunge at home, but was wellregarded during Denmark’s recent turn at the helm of the EU presidency,” the article’s author, Joshua Chaffin, wrote.

“Might make a nice landing spot.”

Chaffin’s prediction was jumped on

by Danish media who rushed to consult experts on whether Thorning-Schmidt really could ‘do-an-Anders-Fogh’ (former PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen left his post to become NATO general secretary) and leapfrog into an interna-

The link between Thorning-Schmidt and the European Commission’s top post was widely covered, despite being the musing of a single journalist

tional position after running Denmark.

Oft-consulted EU expert Marlene Wind from the University of Copenhagen told Berlingske newspaper that Thorning-Schmidt could indeed be considered for such a high-ranking position.

“The general picture in Brussels is that Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a very solid candidate for the post,” Wind said. “She has sat in the European Parliament, has an education from Brügge, and at recent meetings I have attended

with French diplomats and people from the EU Commission, the Danish presidency was praised.”

But what was the insider information that Chaffin possessed that linked Thorning-Schmidt to the post? A leaked memo perhaps? An anonymous statement from a high-ranking EU official?

“It was nothing more than a bit of informed speculation,” Chaffin, the FT’s Brussels correspondent, told Politiken newspaper, adding that he was surprised by how far Danish media had run with the story.

“The article is on an informal blog that is written in the hope of starting a debate about who might be the next Commission president. I have been talking to people around Brussels and some have mentioned her name among a long list of others who they consider interesting.”

Thorning-Schmidt was one of nine names listed in Chaffin’s blog entry that he wrote after Barroso recently suggested that political parties should nominate a commission president in order to improve the democratic process.

Whether Thorning-Schmidt really is a candidate is impossible to say. A lot can happen before 2014 and Rasmussen famously denied any connection with the NATO post until almost the moment he was appointed.

What she can take away from this, however, is that despite leading a party that remains unpopular, people do still like her ... in Brussels.

Scanpix / katrine Emilie Andersen

PM’s link to EU post ignites media frenzy

Pedersen with the cobblestones thrown into her Nørrebro pub last month

‘Mamma’ Jane threats lead to arrest Café Viking owner’s stand against thug demanding protection money pays off

W

hen Café Viking owner ‘Mamma’ Jane Pedersen was threatened by a young thug demanding protection money, the bar owner stood her ground.

Her refusal to give in, and her decision to blow the whistle on what she said was a common problem in the Nørrebro district, led to a massive outpouring of support.

Now, it has also led to an arrest.

Copenhagen Police announced last week on Friday that it had arrested a 19-year-old man for threatening and attempting to extort Pedersen. Police said the man has a connection to the street gang ‘Brothas’.

“We have investigated the complaint we received in August from the owner of Café Viking, and it has now paid off,” Tommy Laursen, a deputy inspector from Bellahøj Station, said.

“We take these kinds of threats and blackmail very seriously. We don’t believe the problem is widespread, but it must be stopped. We therefore request that the public continue to report these events to the police.”

After Pedersen originally went public with the threats she received, so many people came to her Nørrebro pub to show their support that the massive gathering led to a street party of sorts outside her establishment. With the news of the arrest, it’s a safe bet there have been some very happy beer drinkers at Café Viking this past week celebrating Mamma Jane’s victory. (JC)

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News

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Danes overwhelmingly support their own blasphemy law Colourbox

Minister cancels appearance alongside scholar alleged to be behind Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, but two-thirds of Danes want to protect their own law

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fter Jyllands-Posten newspaper published the Mohammed cartoons in 2005, it was reported for blasphemy. Not in Pakistan, whose blasphemy laws have been subject to international criticism, but here in Denmark.

Denmark’s own blasphemy law makes it an offence to “mock legal religions and faiths in Denmark”, and according to a study carried out on behalf of the liberal think-tank CEPOS, 66 percent of the 1,000 Danes questioned said the law should not be repealed.

CEPOS’s director of legal affairs, Jacob Mchangama, told Berlingske newspaper that he was disappointed by the result.

“Blasphemy laws legitimise a culture of offence that leads to vi-

Two-thirds of Danes said they wanted to keep Denmark’s blasphemy law on the books

olence and dissatisfaction in parts of the world,” Mchangama said.

“If Denmark is to have credibility when we criticise blasphemy laws in Pakistan, for example, or we act in disbelief towards people who react violently to a film on YouTube that is critical of Islam, then we have to repeal our own blasphemy law.”

The social affairs and immigration minister, Karen Hækkerup (Socialdemokraterne), cancelled her appearance at an anti-radicalism conference in order not to share the stage with a Muslim scholar who had helped fashion Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.

According to Berlingske, there have only been two successful convictions using the Danish blasphemy law in the past decade. The last official blasphemy charge was made in 1971, though it has since been used to report people and organisations to the police.

Jyllands-Posten was reported for publishing the Mohammed drawings, the supermarket Kvickly was reported for selling

sandals bearing the images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, and public broadcaster DR was reported to the police under the blasphemy law for showing the film ‘Submission’, which is critical of Islam.

Despite the fact that the law is no longer used, and is in a sense defunct, only a third of the Danes polled wanted to repeal it.

According to Tim Jensen, a religion expert from the University of Southern Denmark, the law reflects the need for respect between different cultures, but could also be used by groups to demand special status.

“Danes may see the blasphemy law as helping integration because it promotes the acceptance of a multicultural and multi-faith society,” Jensen told Berlingske. “But it can also be problematic if it reflects a belief that the feelings of religious people have a special status and require special protection.”

Anyone found guilty of blasphemy faces a four-month jail sentence or a fine. (PS)

Oliver’s father found guilty in Austria Gunrunner: I’ll accept trial on neutral ground

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homas Sørensen, the Danish father involved in a drawn-out custody battle involving his five-year-old son Oliver, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by a court in the Austrian city of Graz on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old Sørensen was convicted of unlawful imprisonment, child abduction and serious assault for going to Austria on April 3 and taking Oliver out of the car belonging to his Austrian mother, Marion Weilharter, while she was dropping the boy off at kindergarten.

A co-conspirator held Weilharter down while Sørensen grabbed Oliver and subsequently drove him back to Denmark.

In an emotionally charged testimony, Weilharter told the court that she had to watch as Sørensen grabbed a petrified Oliver from the car.

“I tried to scream, but I couldn’t make a sound,” Weilharter told the court.

The custody case has been going on since 2010, when Weilharter, who held sole custody of Oliver at the time, left Denmark for Austria and took her son with her. A Danish court later gave Sørensen custody of Oliver while an Austrian court did the same for Weilharter.

Sørensen continued to contend that he had done nothing wrong and that he, not Weiharter, should have custody of Oliver.

Sørensen’s Austrian lawyer, Barbara Prasthofer, told Austrian media that while the couple

Scanpix / Markus Leodolter

Danish father receives oneyear sentence for kidnapping five-year-old son as part of an international custody dispute

Peter Stanners The wanted Danish arms smuggler Niels Holck may be tried at the Indian Embassy

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Oliver’s father Thomas Sørensen, seated, made a surprise appearance in the Austrian court where he was handed a one-year sentence

There is no doubt that the child is severely, and permanently, emotionally traumatised lived in Denmark, Oliver’s father had been completely involved in the boy’s life.

“When Oliver then went to kindergarten, he had the overwhelming support of his father,” said Prasthofer. “He worked at home as a computer engineer while the mother worked outside the home at a company, so he was Oliver’s primary caregiver.”

The judge in the case disagreed, saying that Sørensen’s actions had “traumatised the child”.

A child psychologist called by the mother’s lawyer – not as

Scanpix / Keld Navntoft

Ray Weaver

an expert witness by the court – agreed with the judge.

“There is no doubt that the child is severely, and permanently, emotionally traumatised by the manner in which he was separated from the mother,” said the doctor. The psychologist said the negative consequences of Sørensen’s actions could haunt Oliver even into adulthood.

Sørensen denied that Oliver was suffering emotional distress and questioned the psychologist’s method of diagnosis which was done by comparing videos of Oliver while he was with his father in Denmark to those taken while the boy was living with his mother in Austria.

Oliver’s father claimed that the boy received psychological support while in Denmark. The Copenhagen Post has received an email from Oliver’s mother saying that the child received no counselling during the five months he was in Denmark.

Sørensen said after the verdict that he will appeal.

iels Holck has offered to be tried on neutral ground to face charges of weapons smuggling in India.

Holck’s concession brings to an end two years of diplomatic foot-shuffling. In November 2010, Holck successfully challenged a decision by the Danish government in April 2010 to extradite him to India to face the charges, which stem from a 1995 weapons drop. In July 2011, the Eastern High Court upheld the November 2010 decision of Hillerød City Court that the 50-year-old Holck could not be extradited as there was a risk he may be tortured in an Indian prison.

Despite the setback, India remained determined to have Holck – known in India as his alias Kim Davy – tried for his role in the so-called ‘Perulia arms drop’ and had slowly frozen diplomatic relations with Denmark and even threatened to deny visas for Danish travellers.

India’s persistence has at last partially paid off, and now Holck is hoping to find a way to face trial on neutral ground in order to end the saga.

“The case will not die and it is starting to affect Denmark and Danes, which is why my guilt should by tried in court,” Holck told Politiken newspaper. “If the court case proceeds properly, the case will be fully exposed and my role understood in context.

If it leads to a jail sentence, so be it. Over the years, I have always said that I wanted a court case.”

Holck believes he can prove that he and his six accomplices –

Niels Holck, aka Kim Davy, says he wants to clear his name

all of whom were caught while he managed to escape – acted in self-defence according to the UN convention of human rights, and that they acted with the support of both the Indian and British governments.

According to Holck, the weapons were intended to arm guards who were protecting a development project that was being attacked by the communist government of the Indian state of West Bengal.

The story remains a hot topic in India. On Tuesday, it was revealed in the Times of India that the Indian government had urged the Indian Embassy in Copenhagen to step up pressure on the Danish government.

After both the city and high courts turned down the extradition request, Denmark’s public prosecutions department, Rigsadvokaten, decided not to take the case to the Supreme Court. As a result, the Indian government believes the Danish government has not done everything in its powers to have Holck extradited.

While both courts turned down assurances from India that Holck would be offered special treatment in India, Tuesday’s report from the Times of India suggested that the Indian gov-

ernment had asked its embassy in Copenhagen to examine whether Holck could be tried at their premises.

According to Ravinder Kaur, a lecturer at the University of Copenhagen and an expert on India, a similar request was turned down by the Danish government last November.

With India unlikely to back down, and Denmark unlikely to allow Holck’s extradition, negotiations between the two countries seemed to have hit a dead end. Despite this, Denmark’s foreign minister, Villy Søvndal (Socialistisk Folkeparti), stated on Tuesday that the government was willing to find a compromise.

“The government will do what it can to re-establish a good relationship with India,” Søvndal told Politiken. “A normalisation of our relationship is of the highest priority.”

Indian residents of Denmark that spoke to The Copenhagen Post last summer stated that the freezing of diplomatic relations with Denmark was a frustrated response resulting from a lack of legal recourse available to apprehend and convict a man implicated in domestic terrorism – a highly emotional issue in India, especially after the Mumbai attacks of 2008.

News

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Elise Beacom Nearly one in five homeless people in Denmark are foreigners. Fatima Mohamed Saad is one of them

Colourbox

No home to go to for foreign homeless

Police accused of harassing international vagrants The police deny claims that they are harassing foreign homeless people in Copenhagen

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sour odour lingers in the hallway leading to Fatima’s* room. Someone is showering in the shared bathroom and a flickering fluorescent light emanates from within. On the bathroom door a sign is plastered, reminding guests not to leave their razor blades and scissors behind.

Herberget Lindevangen – a shelter for homeless people in Frederiksberg – is not the most inspiring place in Denmark.

But Fatima knows she is lucky to be there.

Though she is originally from Somalia, 32-year-old Fatima has spent nearly half of her life in Denmark. Fatima has four children, who have never been back to their mother’s homeland, and is pregnant with her fifth. Fatima and her family returned to Denmark in June this year after living in England for three years, where they had moved after Fatima’s ex-husband had threatened to kill her and the children. But the children were dismayed living in Birmingham – they missed rye bread.

Fatima paid a 15,000 kroner deposit for an apartment before she arrived in Copenhagen but the arrangement fell through, leaving her and her family with nowhere to stay. But she preferred to be homeless in Denmark, where most of her family now lives, than go back to the UK. She is one of 19 percent of homeless people with an immigrant background, according to

Nearly one out of five homeless people in Denmark are foreigners; for many, life on the streets here is better than what they’d find at home

2011 figures from the National Centre for Social Research.

Herberget Lindevangen has hosted people of 24 different nationalities during the course of the last year. Some of the younger foreigners have been kicked out of their homes by parents who felt their children had become too ‘Danish’ and had forgotten their roots, according to staff. Others find it challenging to adopt a culture in which they have to speak more quietly or politely than is customary in their home countries.

At Kirkens Korshær in Christianshavn – a day shelter for homeless and lonely people – about 70 percent of its visitors are

from non-Nordic countries, with eastern Europeans accounting for the majority. An assistant at Kirkens Korshær, Ronald Kofod, said many of the eastern Europeans arrive without any English or other language skills that are usable in the Danish workplace.

Those who give up on job-hunting often take to the bottle and are too embarrassed to return to their families as alcoholics.

Homeless foreigners, particularly those from eastern Europe, go home periodically to ensure they don’t reside in Denmark illegally. But most come back. They prefer to be homeless in Denmark, where they can provide for the families they left

behind, than to stay at home where their options are limited.

Some make up to 3,000 kroner a month from collecting bottles.

Africans, from countries like Sierra Leone and Ghana, have invested even more in their being here. Kofod said many of their families have been collecting money for years to send their “oldest, smartest and strongest” son to Denmark with the belief that Europe is an oasis of job opportunities. “If he goes back without a job, they will say he’s an outcast, he’s weak,” Kofod said. There is too much shame in going home empty-handed. *Name changed upon request

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n just two months, homeless advocacy group Projekt Udenfor has registered 15 cases in which foreign homeless people have been harassed by the Copenhagen Police.

And now the harassment case has catalysed a political reaction, as Lars Aslan Rasmussen (Socialdemokraterne) has decided to bring the issue to the council ombudsman Borgerrådgiveren.

“Regardless of their ethnic background, the homeless are entitled to basic human rights.

It’s very worrying, if it’s true, and I believe that it is,” Rasmussen told metroXpress newspaper. “It’s degrading when they have their sleeping bags and shoes taken from them and it’s not fair to a group of people already vulnerable.”

Rasmussen maintained that he will try to shed some light on the episode through a dialogue with the police, adding that he would figure out if it was the result of a bad day or if this sort of thing occurs regularly.

Projekt Udenfor told metroXpress that the harassment incidents involved police waking up foreign homeless people several times during the course of a night and the confiscation of their personal property, including sleeping bags and shoes.

Projekt Udenfor’s head of secretariat, Ninna Høgh, fears that the police are singling out foreign homeless people.

“I’m nervous that the police have another moral and legal way to treat the foreign homeless people compared with how they

Foreign homeless • About 500 of the foreign homeless people are so-called worker immigrants that may have been relatively functional when they arrived, but end up on the streets within the first 8-12 months, usually battling alcohol problems.

• About 100 have complex social problems such as psychological illnesses.

• Many are forced to stay in Denmark because they lack the means and finances to leave the country.

• The foreign homeless are not covered by the service law and therefore do not have access to a variety of offers involving food, health aid and shelters.

• The foreign homeless predominantly hail from Africa and eastern Europe.

Figures from homeless advocacy group Projekt Udenfor treat Danes, and that they criminalise this group just because they are a foreign element,” Høgh told metroXpress.

But the claims were rebuffed by the Copenhagen Police, which denies that there is a strategy in place that targets foreign homeless people.

“There is no calculated strategy from the police,” said Steen Hansen, a Copenhagen Police spokesperson, who said that Projekt Udenfor should have reported the alleged incidents to the police. “Then we could have seen if the episode was connected with what we call Eastern criminals, and if there was some sort of mix-up.” (CW)

Manufacturing jobs on their way out Sperm donor passed on disease to nine kids Christian Wenande Manufacturing company Danfoss threatens to move production out of Denmark; minister vows initiatives are underway

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he Danish export sector is expected to shed up to 7,500 jobs by the end of the year, according to new figures from Denmark’s leading business lobby group, Dansk Industri (DI).

Although the Danish manufacturing and production industries have thus far managed to weather much of the ongoing financial crisis, a report from DI’s business panel now predicts a negative fourth and final quarter of 2012.

The dour expectations – which forecast zero growth – come in the wake of a new report that surveyed 453 of DI’s member companies. The quarterly predictions are the worst in two years.

“It’s actually a bit surprising because this news comes at a time when we believed that things were beginning to

turn around,” Steen Nielsen, a spokesperson for DI, told TV2 News. “One explanation is the current economic downturn in Europe, but one must also factor in the fact that we have eroded our ability to compete due to years of higher wage increases than other nations.”

The continuing downward economic trajectory has forced many Danish companies to turn to foreign countries that offer cheaper business platforms and labour. And now, Danfoss, a producer of refrigeration components and one of the largest industrial companies in Denmark, has warned that it will move 6,000 jobs elsewhere unless politicians do something.

“If Denmark doesn’t take some political initiatives now, then production workers in Denmark will be threatened with extinction within ten years, because Denmark won’t be competitive,” Niels Bjørn Christiansen, Danfoss’s CEO, told weekly publication Mandag Morgen.

The business and growth minister, Ole Sohn (Socialis-

tisk Folkeparti), admitted that Denmark’s ability to compete has been lagging, but said that there were already a number of initiatives in place designed to change things for the better.

“We are working on it. We have the tax reform that reduces the tax at work. I have also established a company forum that is looking into how we can debureaucratise the rules and at the same time we have suggested removing the fat and sugar taxes,” Sohn told Mandag Morgen.

Sohn also mentioned the soon-to-be launched competitiveness proposal, where the focus will be on looking closer at the high prices for goods and service in Denmark. But according to DI’s Christiansen, things are proceeding too slowly.

“I hear from all the political parties, aside from Enhedslisten, that they comprehend the importance of the ability to compete and having some form of production. It’s moving in the right direction, but it’s not moving fast enough,” Christiansen told Mandag Morgen.

A sperm bank is facing criticism for not acting quickly enough on suspicions that one of its donors had passed on the disease NF-1

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sperm donor passed on a hereditary disease to at least nine of the 43 children conceived using his sperm at 14 different fertility clinics.

At least two of the children were conceived using his sperm in the six months between when the sperm bank Nordisk Cryobank was first warned and when the sperm was withdrawn.

One of those children was born with the disease.

The revelations, made on DR’s Sunday night TV news programme ‘21 Søndag’, have led to the health authority, Sundhedsstyrelsen, tightening spermbank regulation.

The move is of little consolation to Lone Søndergaard, the mother of one of the affected children, however.

“I thought the system was designed to protect against hereditary illnesses,” Søndergaard told DR. “It’s just unacceptable that there is no oversight.”

The nine children were born with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1), which creates non-cancerous lumps on the bodies of affected individuals. The severity of the illness can vary widely, but in its most severe form it can lead to learning difficulties, blindness and epilepsy.

According to Anne Marie Vangsted from Sundhedsstyrelsen, the illnesses could have been prevented.

“We know that children were conceived during that period and that could have been prevented if the sperm bank had acted correctly and stopped using the donor sooner,” Vangsted told DR. In June 2009, Nordisk Cryobank received the first warning that a child conceived using the sperm had been born with NF1. According to Sundhedsstyrelsen’s rules, the sperm bank should have immediately stopped using the sperm and contacted the clinics that had bought it.

But according to Nordisk Cryobank’s CEO, Peter Bower, the sperm bank didn’t act immediately because it thought the donor was not responsible for

Sperm bank: DR got it wrong Scan the QR code to read Nordisk Cryobank’s response

passing on the disease.

“It’s something that our doctors and geneticists looked at and decided that there wasn’t a substantiated suspicion against the donor,” Bower said.

NF-1 can arise spontaneously in children of parents that do not carry the genes responsible for the disease.

Bower said that Nordisk Cryobank had now changed its protocol to follow Sundhedsstyrelsen’s guidelines.

A law that takes effect on October 1 will require sperm banks and fertility clinics to act much more quickly and stop the use of sperm that could pass on an hereditary disease as soon as a suspicion is raised.

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OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

28 September - 4 October 2012

They’re young, they’re One big welfare family inexperienced, and they are leading this country Political power without proper real-world experience is a recipe for disastrous policy making

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EGARDLESS OF what you think of American presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s politics, no-one is ever going to doubt that should he fail in his bid for the White House, he’ll have a career in business to fall back on.

The same can’t be said of many of Denmark’s elected leaders, for whom, it appears, political office isn’t so much public service as it is a life-time position.

But while the current government, which includes two university drop-outs, might leave you longing for the good old days under its predecessor and cabinet members awash in real-world lessons relevant to their portfolios, it’s worth recalling that it too had a fair share of unqualified cabinet members.

For example, how about the tax minister who was a university drop-out. Or his successor, the electrician.

Back in the early years of the previous government, a childless woman was appointed family minister. As a successful businesswoman, you’d have thought that she’d have been a shoe-in for the Commerce Ministry. Unfortunately, that portfolio was held by a former police officer.

Of course it’s entirely possible that an electrician, as someone who’s dealt with tax regulations, could have brought a load of good ideas to the office. But this wasn’t an isolated case. Cabinet assignments are routinely assigned with political convenience in mind, rather than the nation’s best interest.

Political scientists are correct to question whether the emerging new ruling class of career politicians can force themselves to make unpopular decisions. But what we should be more concerned about is whether it is even possible for them to know which issues are the right ones at all, given their lack of connection to the world around them. Despite the health minister’s claims, working at Netto as a student and visiting nursing homes is no replacement for actually living in the real world.

The irony of Denmark’s cabinet-level farce is that out of all current ministers, the one with the most real-world business experience happens to be a former communist. Currently the commerce and growth minister, he has earned a reputation as one of parliament’s leading businessmen for the way he has run his own publishing house since 2004. Looks like there’s at least one MP who’s got something he can fall back on after the next election.

HENRIK GADE JENSEN

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HREE QUARTERS of Danes would rather be taken care of by the state than their family, according to a recent CEPOS/Norstat poll. What that means, is that where once Danes took care of themselves and each other, they are now satisfied to let the state fill that role. The state is the extended family we turn to in our time of need. We have forgotten our obligation to ourselves and our relatives, in the process reducing family bonds to something purely emotional and removing all forms of financial commitment to each other.

There’s nothing wrong with the family being an emotional collective, but it is a problem that we no longer rely on each other in times of need.

If you read the constitution, it’s fairly clear that the state was envisioned as stepping in to help only as a last resort. It was not conceived of as a universal care provider. For example, section 75 states: “He, who cannot provide for himself or his family, and who is not the responsibility of anyone else, shall be cared for by the state.”

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The thinking was that people should first and foremost be taking care of themselves. We all have a duty to take care of ourselves and not be a burden on others.

By way of extension, individuals were to take care of the others in their family. If you were unable to care for yourself, it wasn’t, according to the constitution, the state that would come to your aid. It was an individual’s social network that was to kick in as part of a web of relationships in which everyone supported everyone else. Marriages and families were the two most typical examples of institutions built up around this network of mutual help.

It is only as a last resort, and only to the most desperate and isolated group, that the state or the local government should extend a hand. And not until it has been clearly established that the individual is not “the responsibility of someone else”.

Instead of retaining the family as a pillar of society, we have developed a form of state-financed individualism. This individualism in disguise forces people to become dependent on the state.

By freeing people from their familial ties, we’ve bound them up in the snares of public assistance.

But is that for their best? And is it the most efficient way of doing things?

When you say ‘welfare’ today, people immediately think of publicly funded welfare – an individual’s rightful assistance from the state. But, seen historically, this is a very new understanding of the term. Welfare is a vital element of every society, since humans are born totally dependent on others. All societies have mechanisms for taking care of those who can’t

take care of themselves. What varies, though, is how such people are dealt with.

Today, spouses are required to support each other, and parents are required to support children under the age of 18. Even so, you often hear people complain when their spouse loses a job: because welfare benefits are based on family income, they wind up having to support their spouse. Similarly, when our children turn 18, we let the state pick up the tab for caring for them. And, unlike in other countries, we don’t care for our elderly when they become too old to care for themselves.

But, if we lowered our taxes, would things change? Would we start placing a value on families and familial obligation? Not if you ask Danes. Some 65 percent of those polled said they were ‘very much’ against extending the circle of people they are required to care for to include children up to the age of 25 and parents. A slight majority (54 percent) believe, however, that people should still be required to support their spouse and their nuclear family.

But maybe it’s worth viewing family obligations not as ensnaring bonds that only engender an intolerable dependence on one’s parents, but rather as a way to prevent social isolation.

It is possible today for a 20-yearold to move into a single-room flat, start receiving public benefits and wind up isolated, in jeopardy of slipping completely out of society. Why shouldn’t parents be required to help out?

Why shouldn’t welfare officials be required to contact a young person’s parents and ask whether they can help first, before deciding whether the person should be

given taxpayer-financed help.

One thing we must constantly keep in mind is that we all have the freedom to do as we please. Those who can care for themselves have unlimited opportunities. Only those who are beholden to others are subject to limitations.

The Scandinavian welfare states are rather unique, since they could not have been built without homogenous nation states as their foundation. A well-defined national sentiment identified with by all, and a solid work ethic, made it possible to create generous social welfare programmes. But, this homogenous foundation is beginning to disappear. Globalisation has made the nation porous, allowing people from the outside to receive social welfare benefits without having paid into them for their entire lives. Meanwhile, our work ethic and sense of responsibility has changed over time.

We need to begin asking whether we can still afford – or even want – a social welfare state that guarantees universal benefits for all, even to those that could turn to someone in their immediate circle for help in times of need. With it looking increasingly unlikely that we’ll be able to continue to afford generous universal benefits, we need to find ways to reduce benefit levels while at the same time establishing a social security net that doesn’t make us dependent on the state.

The author is a senior fellow at the Centre for Political Studies (CEPOS), an independent think-tank promoting a society based on freedom, responsibility, private initiative and limited government.

READER COMMENTS Back off, rugbrød fascists Thank you so much for writing an article on this topic. Reading it, I felt a burning rage going through my body, as I’ve experienced the very same problem with my child. As an Indian, I’ve been humiliated again and again over the “unhealthy” school lunches that I’ve packed for my son. At the parent-teacher meeting, I was told by the teacher that I packed “unhealthy lunches”. I felt like she had slapped my face. I was deeply offended and humiliated. The next few days, while I seethed inside, I packed rye bread for my son, who protested vehemently. He stopped eating his lunch after two days. I reverted back to the “unhealthy’” lunches. At the next parentteacher meeting, I was admonished again. This time I was ready. I asked her what should be the pålæg inside the bread. She replied, “Chocolate, liver pate or salami.” I made a point to laugh, I mean really laugh, and said ...

“And this is healthy? Saturated fat and sugar?”

Mary by email

Welcome to Denmark, Justin.

Now you know you are just a stupid foreigner who doesn’t know that rugbrød, two packs of cigarettes, six beers and a couple shots of akavit per day is the healthiest diet. Please drop your “the individual knows best” attitude and just embrace the fact that the Holy Welfare State knows what is best for you. Just pay your taxes, eat your rugbrød and keep your mouth shut. You are in the land of Jante and lille ven, do not forget it!!

Thorvaldsen by website Great article. I like Denmark and the Danes, but they fear anything different. As an expat, I realise that of course we have to fit into Danish society, but that applies to laws and ways of doing things – not what you eat, believe or do at home. The Danes are famed as ‘tolerant’ but that differs on a day-to-day basis, especially when a Dane marries a foreigner.

Viajeros by website That teacher is UNBELIEVABLE! She should be fired, I think.

I am Danish, born and bred, and I love rugbrød. But people can eat

what they want – their choice, their taste, who cares? It’s not like people from other countries drop dead because of the lack of rugbrød. And not all Danes are like that teacher ...

Margit Rønsholt

by Facebook Miscommunication leads to green card seeker’s deportation I find this very, very sad. This could have also happened to me, as I am also in Denmark with a work permit. I have called Immigration Service asking questions just to make sure I comply with all the complex regulations. It is simply so sad that because of an ill-informed official, he had to go through this very sour experience.

I hope some justice is made. Or else, that this Immigration Service employee is fired. He/she does not have the right to play with peoples’ lives in this way. yahoo-B3F4 by website I guess Tusher should look at the brighter side – at least he wasn’t sent to Guantanamo. His immigration/visa chances anywhere in the worlds are now all but over.

I just do not understand why

people don’t have a heart? What had the guy done after all? If he made a mistake, he could have been politely asked to leave without a ‘deportation’ and ‘ban’. The incompetent person who misled him will be told not to worry about it, as we humans do make mistakes, while Tusher is screwed for life. How cute indeed. bru_sque by website Ridiculous, disgusting and unjust are a few words for the incident.

Immigration and other authorities must learn from this incident.

It is not the sole case – there are a number of cases when wrong information is given to the clients and the official later on tried to shift the responsibility off themselves. If wrong information is given by an official, the department should take full responsibility. In Mehadi’s case, he should be granted a green card without any further delay in order to make justice. Besides, I have noticed that officials are reluctant to give their name, and it should be mandatory for them to wear a badge with their name written on it.

NY by website

OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

28 September - 4 October 2012

When we radicalise modern Muslims

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The Words of Öz BY ÖZCAN ARJULOVSKI Özcan Ajrulovski was born in Sweden but has lived in Denmark since he was five years old. His parents came to Denmark in the late 60s from the Turkish part of Macedonia. He has a passion for writing poetry and has written political columns for metroXpress and other publications.

See more at www.ozcana.com.

EPTEMBER 11. We all remember the date and what we were doing that day when the 110-story Twin Towers crumbled to the ground and became dust.

Eleven years have since passed, but did we ever rise from that dust?

A certain amount of fear was created that day, and that fear had a visual character: that of a Muslim male with an Islamic mindset. To this day, we still link the Islamic mindset with an anti-democratic mindset, and sometimes even with terroristic behaviour. It’s important to differentiate the modern Muslims from the radicals, and it is especially important to support the modern Muslims who try to fight the radicals.

That’s why the Danish ethnic youth council Ny-Dansk Ungdomsråd choose to hold a conference on September 11 to look at how best to tackle political and religious radicalism. Among the speakers was the world famous scholar and professor Muhammad Tahir ulQadri. The minister of social affairs, Karen Hækkerup, should have also been among the speakers, but she cancelled less then a week before the conference.

Her reason was that ul-Qadri was attending the conference, and she claimed

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not to have noticed it before.

A few days before the conference, Hækkerup wrote on Facebook that she will refuse to be a speaker next to ulQadri because she “stands for democracy and he stands for Sharia”. She based her decision on a story about ul-Qadri that painted him as the architect of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which include calls for capital punishment.

Let’s look at some facts about Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri. In 2011, he, with his organisation Minhaj-ul-Quran, convened the ‘Peace for Humanity Conference’ at London’s Wembly Arena, which was attended by over 12,000 participants. He received supportive messages from people like Ban Ki-Moon, the secretary general of the United Nations, and David Cameron, the British prime minister. He has also released a 600-page fatwa (Islamic ruling) against terrorism. The writing details why it is not Islamic to commit violent acts, complete with Islamic sources that back up that assertion.

This was the main reason he was invited to Ny-Dansk Ungdomsråd’s radicalism conference in the first place. In general, he works for peace and tolerance among different religions and cultures.

Hækkerup announced her decision about not attending the conference before ul-Qadri had a chance to defend himself against the blasphemy story. He was later interviewed on TV2 News and made it clear that he had nothing to do with the procedural part of the law, and that he actually tried to stop its implementation. This invalidated Hækkerup’s reason for not showing up, but she refused to comment further.

We had a world-renowned anti-terror scholar come all the way to Denmark to speak to our youth about why terror is an un-Islamic action, and about how to fight those thoughts that lead to terror.

This should have been a dream scenario for the Danish minister: a Muslim leader who calls on Muslims to participate in democracy and society.

He has even said: “If you don’t respect

the Danish constitution, then why are you here?”

But still ul-Qadri was called a radical Islamist by several media outlets.

Calling a pro-democratic scholar a radical Muslim, and putting him in the same box as anti-democratic voices, leaves the question: just who qualifies as a modern, moderate Muslim? Is it first when you abandon your Islamic value, and act anti-Islamic in public?

If you are a Muslim in the public sphere, and don’t hide your Islamic beliefs or appearance, politicians and the news media will always ask you religious questions looking for political answers. That makes it hard to build bridges. Instead of asking questions with expectations and demands, we should ask questions with the intention of understanding each other.

While he was here, journalists spent more time asking ul-Qadri questions about his past than questioning him about his international campaign to tackle radicalism.

When will they start asking the right questions instead of expecting the wrong answers? They made him look like a part of the problem, when he in fact a part of the solution.

tion is illegal according to international law. Thirdly, it highlights an interesting statistic – countries that strongly advocate the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community (LGBT) are also the countries in which the least social violence occurs.

For Fernanda to be deported to Guatemala is a frightening thing.

“Violence against women and minorities is widespread in Guatemala, and it is repeatedly shown that state authorities, such as the national police PNC, have been involved in sexual violence and killing, not least prostitutes, homosexuals and transgenders,” said Ninna Nyberg Sørensen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies. “This violence has been articulated as ‘social cleansing’, and has often been been carried out with political support.”

The persecution Fernanda faces is not from some street gang or marginalised violent social group. This is organised endemic persecution executed by those who guard the airport and the streets and make legislation.

International law clearly states that

the deportation of person or persons is illegal in cases where they are likely to be tortured, brutalised or killed. This is clearly the case with Fernanda. It makes the decision of Flygtningenævnet, the government’s refugee board, which has judged she should return to Guatemala, both illegal and, in my opinion, morally wrong.

Do you like living in a peaceful country, but don’t like gay or transgender persons? Please consider the following. Whether you are pro-LGBT, gay marriage or alternate lifestyles, the fact remains that your life and the lives of your children are safer in a country where LGBT rights are held in high regard. There is a statistical correlation between LGBT rights and peaceful societies. The top 20 countries when it comes to human rights are, in the main, the same countries that score highly on the Global Peace Index and have the least violence. They are also the countries where the LGBT lifestyle has the most freedom. This is not supposition, opinion or conjecture as the numbers don’t lie. Fernanda’s struggle represents not only a fight for her freedom, but for

freedom and peace in general.

The decision for Fernanda’s forced repatriation is either a serious mistake, or a decision taken in the full knowledge of what is most likely to happen to her should she return.

If it is a mistake and the result of poor research, then it can still be rectified. On September 17, Fernanda was due for deportation. She received a reprieve and her case will now be reviewed. As this article goes to print, she is still in Denmark, although for how long is not yet clear.

If the decision is a conscious one, then it casts a nasty shadow over Denmark’s current goody two-shoes standing as one of the most human rightsfriendly countries in the world. Should Fernanda’s case fail, then it will not only be a travesty of justice, but a travesty for Denmark.

To support and find out more about Fernanda Milan, visit www.tlounge.dk.

For information on human rights and peace statistics, check out the CIRI Human Rights Data Project at www.ciri. binghamton.edu and the Global Peace Index at www.visionofhumanity.org.

It is especially important to support the modern Muslims who try to fight the radicals

First impressions

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The Lynch Report

BY STUART LYNCH English-Australian theatre director Stuart Lynch has lived in Copenhagen since Clinton impeached his cigars and writes from the heart of the Danish and international theatre scene. He is married with kids and lives in Nørrebro.

Visit his Danish theatre at www. lynchcompany.dk.

S A FOREIGNER, what was your first impression of Denmark? What were your thoughts, feelings and expectations? My first memory was of the flickering light and shadows that played about the train as it trundled under and through central Copenhagen. It was a wet September night and I had arrived here for love and to dance. I was 23.

Fernanda Milán was around the same age when she first came to Denmark in 2010 from Guatemala. She is trans-woman: born a physical male with a female gender and identity. Her introduction to the country was somewhat different. Despite her female appearance, she was placed in the male section of Sandholm Asylum Centre. Here, in this refugee camp just outside Copenhagen, she was gang-raped. Her first impression certainly places my own, and perhaps yours too, into the category of the quaint and the spoilt.

I am writing about Fernanda this month for three reasons. First, she faces being deported back to Guatemala where she fears certain persecution and possible death. Secondly, her deporta-

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10 News Fur flying over new Tivoli deal The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

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openhagen’s Tivoli Gardens and the world’s largest fur auction house, Kopenhagen Fur, have entered into an agreement that makes Kopenhagen Fur the official partner of the amusement park’s ‘Christmas in Tivoli’ celebration for the next three years. The sponsorship will bring millions of kroner into Tivoli’s coffers.

“Tivoli is a strong partner,” Kopenhagen Fur managing director Torben Nielsen said in a statement. “We are also pleased to show fur garments to the many guests who visit ‘Christmas in Tivoli’ and showcase why Danish mink farmers are the world’s elite.”

Mink pelts represent one third of total Danish exports to China and Hong Kong, and over 6,000 Danes work in the fur-breeding industry.

Lars Liebst, Tivoli’s managing director, told Politiken newspaper that the collaboration was a positive one for the park.

“In Tivoli, it is our mission to enchant our guests, and this new partnership will help us achieve this,” Liebst told Politiken.

The partnership has not been as well received in other quarters, however.

Thorbjørn Schiønning from the animal rights group Anima was stunned by the decision.

“I cannot believe that Tivoli seeks to profit from animal cruelty,” Schiønning told Politiken. “It is strange that a brand associated with fun and games would partner with a company associated with animal cruelty.”

Schiønning said some Danish fur producers were seen neglecting basic animal welfare laws in a 2009 TV documentary, and that Erik Hansen, who is a member of the board and former chairman of Kopenhagen Fur, was found guilty of animal abuse in 2011.

Anima said on its website that while Denmark is the world’s largest producer of fur, with between 14 and 15 million minks being produced every year, a 2009 survey revealed that the majority of Danes think that the production should be banned.

Gitte Lakshøj, from the company Copenhagen Artificial Fur, said on Anima’s website that the new partnership reflected a change on Tivoli’s behalf.

Her company made the suit for Tivoli’s Santa Claus a few seasons ago.

“We were told at the time that the issue of real fur costumes had been assessed by the board of Julemands Laug [the Danish Santa Claus Guild], and their position was clear: Santa Claus does not kill animals.”

Scanpix / Bjarke Ørsted

Animal rights activists take to social media to protest against park’s partnership with fur giant

Scanpix / BAx Lindhardt

Ray Weaver

28 September - 4 October 2012

A 17.5-tonne truck slammed into the Bandidos headquarters in Amager last week

Police fear new gang war Bandidos headquarters has truck driven into it, but two later episodes turn out to be unrelated to escalation in hostilities

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While this lady looks awfully happy, not everyone is smiling about Tivoli’s collaboration with Kopenhagen Fur

It is strange that a brand associated with fun and games would partner with a company associated with animal cruelty Anima has joined other animal rights groups in calling for a boycott of Tivoli unless it drops the sponsorship.

Animal lovers have blanketed Tivoli’s Facebook page with angry messages.

“I am shocked to learn about Tivoli’s deal with Kopenhagen Fur,” one user wrote. “I personally feel it is a shame to put money above animal rights. I will never visit Tivoli again.”

Others have posted pictures of

bleeding animals from fur farms, asking if this is what they can expect to see at this year’s Christmas in Tivoli.

Stine Lolk, Tivoli’s spokesperson, defended the company’s decision to partner with Kopenhagen Fur. “We knew full well when we entered into this agreement that there are many opinions,” Lolk told DR News.

“But we are confident that Kopenhagen Fur complies with all the rules.”

Lolk said that Kopenhagen Fur is known worldwide, and that Tivoli stands firm in its commitment to the deal.

Many of the comments on Tivoli’s Facebook page have come due to the mobilisation of large animal welfare organisations like ‘Stop Cruelty’, which has 570,000 Facebook followers.

Tivoli’s regular season concluded on September 23. It will be open for Halloween from October 12-28, and will open its gates for ‘Christmas in Tivoli’ on November 16.

ears of an impending gang war between the Hells Angels and the Bandidos began brewing last week when a 31-year-old knife victim was thrown out of a vehicle on Englandsvej and a 32-year-old man on the same street received gunshot wounds to his leg. Neither man’s wounds were lifethreatening.

Police rounded up and released 100 members of the outlaw gang last week on Wednesday as a “warning” that a new gang war would not be tolerated.

They confiscated guns, knives, axes, drugs and anabolic steroids.

“Finding both weapons and guns is satisfying, but these finds are not the most important part of the action,” Svend Foldager from Copenhagen Police told the tabloid BT. “These raids sent a clear message to the bikers: we will not accept a potentially violent conflict between the Hells Angels and the Bandidos to develop.”

However, police later learned that the two men who were beaten, shot and stabbed by the Hells Angels were apparently members of the gang who somehow found themselves in “bad standing” with their fellow gang members.

Last week on Friday, 30 more Hells Angels members from the Copenhagen area were brought in for questioning.

Police had hoped to find whoever assaulted the two men among those detainees, but released all of them.

Then, early on Wednesday, police announced that they had arrested a 26-year-old Hells Angels member and a 32-year-old prospective member of the gang. They are charged with attempted murder and several weapons violations in connection with the internal attack.

At the time of going to press, police did not yet know whether one of the two guns they confiscated from the suspects was the weapon used to shoot one of the victims in the thigh.

Police said that help from the public had led them to the suspects.

The police’s sources within the gang community suggest escalating tension between the gangs. On Tuesday of last week, a 17.5-tonne unmanned truck with a brick on the accelerator ploughed into a property owned by the Bandidos in Amager, which is believed to be the gang’s headquarters.

Police suspect the incident was carried out by the Hells Angels support group AK81.

Along with the truck incident, there have been other recent violent clashes between the Hells Angels and Bandidos.

On Tuesday morning, fears of a gang war intensified when two men with connections to the Bandidos were stabbed in Vanløse. One of the stabbing victims, a 21-year-old, died of his wounds. Shortly after the stabbing incident, however, police said that although the victims had connections to Bandidos, the incident appeared to be unrelated to the gang rivalry.

“We believe this was a spontaneous incident that happened when two groups of men met on the street,” police inspector Lau Thygesen said.

The assailants were described as “foreign looking” and police say that there is nothing to suggest that the attack was related to recent tensions between the Bandidos and the Hells Angels.

The last full-out war between the Hells Angels and Bandidos ended in 1996 with a rocket attack that killed two people and a shooting at Copenhagen Airport that left one dead and four injured. (PS/RW)

Online this week Danish postal bikes win big in Brussels For the past year, Denmark’s streets and bike lanes have been sharing space with a new mode of hybrid transportation: Post Danmark’s two and three-wheeled electric bikes.

Now, those bikes have received international recognition in the form of an innovation prize at the international postal confer-

ence, Post-Expo, held last week in Brussels. The bikes, which feature a flexible box system for their cargo, were developed by Post Denmark and have begun to replace its fleet of ordinary bicycles and petrol-run scooters.

Post Danmark said the bikes are better for both the environment and its employees.

Taxes to go up in 14 councils, down in five Residents in 14 councils will pay a combined 250 million additional tax kroner next year, while inhabitants of five other councils will get a combined tax reduction of 200 million kroner. Twentytwo councils had requested permission from the state to raise taxes, but eight of those requests were denied. Those councils,

however, can still in principle raises taxes, although they would then incur economic sanctions from the state. The councils given permission to increase taxes are: Albertslund, Lyngby-Taarbæk, Ishøj, Helsingør, Rudersdal, Halsnæs, Gribskov, Kerteminde, Struer, Syddjurs, Læsø, Mariagerfjord, Jammerbugt and Hjørring.

Police to start cruising in Mercedes The Danish national police force is ditching Ford for Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, according to a press release.

While the police admit the cars are more expensive to buy, they justified the purchases based on their reduced environmental im-

pact and lower operational and repair costs. “We examined not only the purchasing price of the cars, but also their fuel usage and the servicing costs over their lifetimes,” Bettina Jensen from Rigspolitiet wrote. The new rides will be on the street by April.

Read the full stories at cphpost.dk

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28 September - 4 October 2012

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Rite of passage for the country on the crossroads of two continents PHOTOS: HASSE FERROLD

WORDS: BEN HAMILTON

Armenia is officially 21 and the country’s ambassador, Hrachya Aghajanyan, was proud to announce it from the rooftops at his residence in Hellerup last week on Thursday – not literally, that would have been un-necessarily dangerous. A large gathering, mainly members of the city’s diplomatic corps and Armenian community, assembled to mark the occasion, 21 years to the day since the country celebrated its independence from the Soviet Union

On occasions like these, a gorgeous woman often bursts out of the cake, but that would have a disservice to this gateau’s superb decoration

US ambassador Laurie S Fulton was among the many diplomats in attendance. Here she is pictured with Jørn Thulstrup, the founder and CEO of Institute for Business Cycle Analysis

Waiting in turn to meet the ambassador were Lithuania ambassador Vytautas Pinkus …

German Ambassador Michael Zenner …

Ambassador Aghajanyan gave an inspiring address to those gathered

and Italy’s ambassador Carlo Tripepi and his wife

Benin’s ambassador Arlette Claudine Kpedetin Dagnon Vignikin made a grand entrance, KUKS president Eleanor Bomholt, Ambassador Aghajanyan and International Club Cowhile Egyptian ambassador Nabil Habashi awaited his turn penhagen president Hasse Ferrold enjoyed the occasion

But it was a long wait behind Iraqi ambassador Albert Issa Nothor and Ambassador Aghajanyan, who clearly had some catching up to do

Ambassador Aghajanyan seemed suitably impressed with Latvian ambassador Gints Jegermanis’s bow-tie, who in turn looked delighted he came

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28 September - 4 October 2012

ABOUT TOWN PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

The British Chamber of Commerce’s event at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel last week on Friday welcomed David Huse (left and centre), the head of the London Ambassadors Programme, who spoke about the ‘Games Makers’ – the 7,000 volunteers who ensured the Olympic and Paralympic Games were such a logistical success. The volunteers, he said, helped “spread a remarkable message about the UK’s warm, friendliness and can-do spirit to the whole world”. And then at the same event, Jakob Hohlmann Villumsen (right) received this year’s BCCD scholarship, which is awarded to a Danish student furthering their studies at a UK academic institution. Willumsen will be studying for a master’s in financial journalism at City University and accepted the cheque for 50,000 kroner from BCCD executive director Penny Schmidt and BCCD president Mariano Davies. (Photos: Hugh Mayo)

It was a colourful affair at the Mexican Independence Day celebrations at the residence of the country’s ambassador, Martha Bárcena (centre, with her husband and daughter), the dean of the Diplomatic Corps. The gathering enjoyed the last throes of summer at a garden party with great drinks, food and music

Sally Khallash is the author of ‘Send flere indvandrere, tak!’ (‘Send more immigrants, thank you!’), a new book that may or may not be waiting for you under the tree on Christmas morning. Khallash, who is the founder of the Centre for Global Talent Strategy, launched the work at an event at Maersk

Party in Pink Thu 4 Oct, 10:30-14:30; register at michaela.gade@mail.dk; www. pinktribute.dk Founded in 2003 by two Americans, the non-profit association Pink Tribute helps to raise funds for breast cancer-related programmes, research and services in Denmark. On Thursday, it is holding its annual luncheon, complete with a raffle and silent auction to raise funds. All are welcome to keep on fighting the disease!

Warm welcome in Lyngby

An evening of improv

Lyngby-Taarbæk Council is welcoming its new foreign citizens and their families to an event to learn more about their new home.

A great way to meet the Copenhagen Theatre Circle crowd ahead of their new season (see cover story of InOut). The occasion includes improvisation, nibbles and a drink or two.

COMING UP SOON

The Royal Lifeguard Gothersgade 100, Cph K; Thu Oct 4, 16:30-19:00; tickets: members 150kr, non-members 190kr; www.bccd.dk/Events Attend this British Chamber of Commerce event and enjoy the changing of the guards at the barracks on Gothersgade. You will be seduced by the charm of the uniform and learn more about life as a royal lifeguard.

A night of philosophy Grand öl och mat, MonbijougatanI 17, Malmö; Wed Oct 3, 19:30; free adm; www.meetup.com/themalmo-philosophy-club Before Marinoff’s ‘Plato not Prozac’, there was Epictetus and his ‘Enchiridion’. Take part in an enlightening discussion about ‘Enchiridion’ and learn more about the roots of western thought. The debate will be accompanied by food and drinks as the Ancient Greeks recommended!

Lyngby-Taarbæk City Hall, Lyngby Torv 17, Kongens Lyngby, Thu Oct 4, 17:00-19:00,register at sik@ltk.dk; www.ltk.dk

Environment, Commerce and Ecology University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Law, Alexsandersalen, Bispetorvet 1-3; Tue Oct 2, 15:15-17:00; www.hum.ku.dk Denmark is one of the greenest countries in Europe. This lecture, organised by the European Research department at the University of Copenhagen, is a chance to understand more about our choices and economic opportunities in this area.

Teotihuacan Mural Paintings University of Copenhagen, Institute for Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, Department of American Indian Languages and Cultures, Artillerivej 86, Room 0.26, Cph S; Wed Oct 3, 13:00-15:00; 3532 9196, jnielsen@hum.ku.dk, www. hum.ku.dk A lecture about the findings made at an archaeological site 30 miles northeast of Mexico City that date back to the Teotihuacan empire, whose influence spread all over Mesoamerica. Admire some of the murals found at the site and find out more about the conservation and restoration process.

Café Cadeau, HC Ørsteds Vej 28, 1879, Cph K, Fri Sep 28, 19:00; www.ctcircle.dk

Revealing and hiding Theology Faculty, Købmagergade 44-46, Cph K; Oct 3-7; av@teol. ku.dk, www.teol.ku.dk ‘Visibility and Transcendence in Religion, Art and Ethics’ is the main theme, developed in a series of lectures, hosted by the Theology Faculty of the University of Copenhagen as part of the research project ‘In-visibilis’.

Global macroeconomics lecture Carlsberg Akademi, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 15, Cph V; Thu Oct 4, 15:00-19:00; fonden@hedorf.dk, jcn@kommunikationogsprog.dk, www.hum.ku.dk This conference, sponsored by the Hedorf Foundation and Union of Communication and Language Professionals, focuses on economic growth and innovation.

Reflections on Ghana Centre of African Studies, University of Copenhagen, Aud 12, Købmagergade 46, Cph K; Thu Oct 4, 15:15-17:00; A lecture regarding Ghana’s political situation ahead of its December elections.

ANTONIETTA RICCI

An exhibition of the paintings of the impressionist artist Berthe Morisot opened at Ordrupgaard gallery last week on Thursday. Among those present were Anne-Birgitte Fonsmark, the director of the gallery, and French ambassador Veronique Bujon-Barre

AT WORK AND AT PLAY

Isabelle Valentine’s husband works at a video game company and gets to play at work. She also wanted to play for a living so she started the Montessori International Preschool. She moved to Frederiksberg in May 2008 where she lives with her young family.

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ITH AUTUMN here, porary planning permission to I am starting to reflect establish ourselves at a wonon my first full year derful villa in Valby, close to since opening my Montessori Carlsberg and Søndermarken International Preschool. We park. Refurbishment started opened our doors for the first immediately and we relocated time on 17 August 2011. Due to our now permanent location to a long drawn-out planning in January 2012.

Just over a year later, it is permission process with the City Council, we started at my with great satisfaction that we home in Frederiksberg with have 28 little ones enrolled and benefiting three children, not only from myself and our a highly interhead Montesnational envisori teacher.

Clearly this was there really is nothing ronment, but also from the always going to stopping anyone unique Monbe a temporary tessori method. measure and coming to Denmark We have now we were for- from opening their grown to six tunate enough to be able to own business if that is staff, and we starting rent some space what they want to do are to establish from Frederiksour own little berg Council from September to December. traditions.

When starting a business, Without direct access to outdoor space, we were limited to what I have experienced is a maximum of seven children. there are many challenges that Fortunately, by the middle of could hinder the actual start-up November, we secured tem- phase. The biggest single barrier

to opening was to acquire planning permission for the property that I had found. This process actually took two and a half years from start to finish. With that out of the way, plus all the separate building works needed to satisfy the council’s strict yet ever changing criteria, we were able to open. Perseverance paid off in the end. So with summer over, it is easy to start to reflect on the last year and to feel a sense of achievement. And the reason for this little feature is to make the point that there really is nothing stopping anyone coming to Denmark from opening their own business if that is what they want to do. I received a huge amount of support from the business centre at the City Council, and this is a service that it provides for all foreigners who live here.

If you are reading this and imagining trying to start your own business, no matter how large or small, I cannot encourage you enough to go for it! It is just all so worth it in the end.

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28 September - 4 October 2012

The ecclesiastical ANN CHARLOTTE VENGSGAARD We might like being carnivores, but we need to meet creation midway to tackle climate change, argues Catholic cleric

What lessons can we learn from the New Testament in respect to our environmental concerns of today?

So we were on a mission from God? YES, AND IN Genesis, God is saying to cultivate the Garden of Eden, which is a very beautiful image, but to cultivate is not the same as having the right to destroy the Garden of Eden. It is through the woman that the creation is able to give fruit – but by all means good fruit. That is the point we may have forgotten.

Also we have forgotten the link between our existence, our life and God the creator. If we find that link again, I think automatically, we will respect all forms of life, because life is life.

Obviously I must respect human life more than cat or dog life, but if I respect human life, I have to respect animal life and all life, as all life is connected.

but at what cost?

It’s all connected and this brings me to the meat industry, and its highly scandalous practices today, which are a long way removed from ‘normal’. When we think about how animals are treated in the meat industry, not only in the USA – it is the worst – but also in Denmark and Europe, I think that man, by treating animals in that way, is hurting himself: that’s the point. It’s extremely bad.

Really, I don’t understand how they can find people to work there, because it’s so awful, so degrading.

We talk so much about climate change but, and this is very strange, we rarely speak about the meat industry. For example, during the climate conference in Copenhagen in 2009, they hardly spoke about it. After all, if we really started speaking seriously about it, then we must all change our way of life, because it’s at the centre of the problem.

How can we change our lives to make a difference?

MOST PEOPLE don’t know what it takes to produce 100g of meat, how much arable land you need, how much water, and how much pollution it creates.

It’s particularly bad in the swine industry, where the pollution goes directly into the soil and groundwater. So if we want to seriously contribute to the environment, we must ask ourselves this question: is our conception/perception of meat reasonably justified? I think no! It’s neither advisable or necessary to eat meat each day. You can manage very well eating it only once a week or even becoming a vegetarian. But a very great change like that would make it a question of money, and we all know there’s great interest in that! We could make Rio a meeting about meat, but you know among the politicians in attendance the primary concern is going to be their money agenda. And that is why current environmental thinking cannot take us forward. Real change has to come from the people, not the politicians.

Father Robert Culat, the ecclesiastical environmentalist

COLOURBOX

I WOULD say I think that the first place to learn from is not the New Testament, but the Old Testament and the book of Genesis. Its first two chapters regarding the creation of the world are so, so, so interesting from an environmental point of view. It tells us man is important, that the human being is the summit of the creation, but it doesn’t mean that we have to waste the creation. We don’t have the right to do what we want to do, we are not the owners of creation, but we are the entrustees.

environmentalist: ANN CHARLOTTE VENGSGAARD

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AST WEEK, we heard about how Father Robert Culat, the Catholic priest for the city’s French-speaking community, is on a mission from God to fight climate change.

The ecclesiastical environmentalist revealed how the Catholic Church now incorporates environmentalism into its teachings, how new agricultural practices are destroying the way of life for millions of subsistence farmers, and how we in the West need to make fair trade the norm, not a risible gesture.

This week, Father Culat argues that the biggest difference we can make is with our consumer choices: namely the regularity we purchase and eat meat, the countries that we buy food from, and the way we feed and nature our children.

At the core of our existence today is a disrespect for food, the environment and creation, and the ecclesiastical environmentalist has had enough!

Choice cuts,

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Sometimes I wonder about the Catholic Church’s financial decisions. Putting money in a bank is part of normal life, but do we reflect enough on which one? In France, there’s a bank where profits are not their only motivation, where it’s not just about money, money, money, but helping good causes like hunger programmes. And where does the church bank – not in that bank! Why is that – it’s not logical. We could be fighting famine, but instead we give it to people who have no ethics.

ing the work of agriculture. It was like the last thing you could wish for was your child to become a farmer, that it was better they worked in a bank.

We must again give to those people working in the countryside the respect they deserve, and they must have a good life. Everything is linked: the economy, demography, the environment.

It really is possible for the whole world to be fed with healthy food if we learn to eat less meat and more wholegrain food.

What should our top priority be?

So we need to consider our consumer choices more carefully?

THE EDUCATION of the children, because as we know, children have instinct. So when they begin to eat something and soon after that something is on the floor and it is thrown away, it creates this horrible waste mentality. Children need to be educated from an early age that food does not come from heaven.

There is labour behind that food. It has been grown and it has taken a lot of resources to grow it.

I remember how in the 1960s in France, we put pesticides in almost everything.

They were bad for the earth and for us, and it was disrespect-

YES, THE supermarkets are full of produce grown in Spain through intensive agriculture.

We don’t want to know that the workers in the greenhouses wear protective clothes to protect their skin from all the pesticides they spray on them, that the workers are slaves to the system, that most of them are immigrants from Morocco who live where they work in horrible housing, isolated from civilisation, forbidden from going to the cities.

They live like prisoners … in Europe, the home of civilisation!!

Hello!! This is not Asia – in China we know it’s like that. This is slavery happening in Europe. So then it becomes clear why these vegetables are so cheap, because they don’t pay the people. The only solution is simply not to buy these vegetables from Spain.

14

sport

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Christian Wenande While the Swansea City coach believes players guilty of being paid to lose should be banned from the game for life, paying someone to win isn’t a problem

D

anish football legend Michael Laudrup has made a confident start to his Premier League managerial career with Swansea City, pleasing fans and pundits alike with his attacking brand of football.

But last week, Laudrup created a buzz of a different kind when he suggested it was okay to give another team a financial incentive for winning.

“If Swansea play the last game against a team and a third team pays Swansea to win the game, I really don’t see anything bad about that,” Laudrup said ac-

cording to BBC News. “For me, match-fixing is when somebody pays someone to lose a game.”

Laudrup’s remarks came as he was asked about match-fixing at a news conference. Matchfixing has been a prevalent issue in European football as of late, particularly in Italy, where more than a dozen clubs are currently under investigation. The scandal is the third major one to rock the country in 32 years following Calcio Gate in 2006, which saw Juventus relegated, and Totonero in 1980 – in both cases Italy went on to win the next World Cup! Laudrup played in Italy for Juventus (and also on loan for Lazio) between 1983 and 1989 before moving on to Barcelona in Spain.

Laudrup said that players guilty of being paid to lose should be banned from the game for life, but he did not have a problem with the ‘suitcase’

culture in Spain where teams pay other teams to beat their league rivals.

“It’s just a bonus. For me, match-fixing is somebody paying someone to lose a game,” Laudrup said. “In Spain where there’s one or two matches left in a season, we always talked about the suitcases. But the suitcases are to win. I don’t see anything bad about that. I think we have to define very well what is match-fixing because there’s different levels, I think.”

Laudrup became familiar with the ‘suitcase’ process during his playing years with Barcelona and Real Madrid. More recently, he has also coached Getafe and Real Mallorca.

Neither Football Association nor Premier League spokesmen commented on Laudrup’s admission, but both bodies’ laws clearly state that accepting or giving money to influence the outcome of a match is unlawful.

scanpix/ REBECCA NADEN

Laudrup stirs up controversy with match-fixing claim

North Zealand team will face Chelsea with confidence following an encouraging CL debut

N

As a coach I’m able to find satisfaction in our ten wins, but as a private person, I’m terribly disappointed right now

game at 7-7 in the first quarter.

At the break, the Towers were leading 21-7, but in the third quarter, the Gold Diggers tied the game again at 21-21. Still in the third quarter, the Towers scored twice to make the score 35-21. But a score at the end of the third, and another at the end of the fourth quarter, made sure the Gold Diggers stayed true to the trend of the game and tied the Towers once again.

Then came overtime and the devastating loss – the Copenhagen Towers’ first of the season.

“As a coach I’m able to find satisfaction in our ten wins, but as a private person, I’m terribly disappointed right now!” head coach Peter Herbild said following the game. Looking to the future, he note that the Towers are a very young and eager squad and will be ready and even better when the 2013 season begins.

And if the 600 loud, loyal and ecstatic fans at the semi-final are any indication, the Towers will once again be playing in the best atmosphere in the Danish American Football League.

Knowledgeable fans, who knew when to make noise and when to be quiet, made a big difference for the Towers this season.

Sadly, in the end, it wasn’t quite enough.

obody gave FC Nordsjælland much chance when they were drawn in the Champions League with Chelsea, Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk, but on the evidence of their first game, away in Ukraine, they might do more than ruffle a few feathers.

For while they lost 2-0 last week on Wednesday night, succumbing to a fine brace by Armenian attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, for long periods of the game they dominated.

Indeed, it was the normally offensive-minded Ukrainians who had to employ counter-attacking tactics to prevail.

It was a Champions League debut in which FCN more than held their own, with especially Enoch Adu, Jores Okore and keeper Jesper Hansen impressing.

“Not one of our players had played in a European group stage before,” Hjulmand told TV3+ following the match. “There were a few errors, but I have to praise the boys for a job well done. Fine margins decided this match.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea and Juventus, without Nicklas Bendtner, drew 2-2 in the other match.

FCN host Chelsea in the next round, on Tuesday October 2, at Parken stadium. Apparently, FCN’s stadium only passed three of the 20 plus UEFA criteria needed to host CL games.

A day later, in the Europa League, FCN’s new ‘landlords’, FC Copenhagen, beat Norwegian side Molde 2-1 at Parken.

Brazilian midfielder Claudemir gave the hosts the lead after 20 minutes, who then relaxed, allowing Molde equalise through Pape Diouf, who is on loan from FCK, on the stroke of halftime.

FCK pushed forward in the second half and were rewarded after 74 minutes when striker Andreas Cornelius secured the Danes all three points.

The win leaves the Lions top of their group as German side Stuttgart could only draw 2-2 at home against Romania’s Steaua Bucharest. FCK’s next match is away in Romania on October 4. (CW)

Should Laudrup have kept his mouth covered? Time will tell ...

Towers toppled by Gold Diggers in the agony of overtime Jeppe Toustrup

Jens Rørbye Copenhagen gridiron team’s first defeat of the season comes at the worst time imaginable

G

rown men with tears streaming down their cheeks, and a head coach uttering the words “Gracious in defeat, humble in victory”, were among the images that etched themselves into the minds of almost 600 fans present at the Copenhagen Towers’ semi-final defeat to the Søllerød Gold Diggers at Gentofte Stadium on Sunday.

Having led by two touchdowns on two occasions, the Towers allowed the Gold Diggers to tie the score at 35-35 with just 37 seconds left on the clock. The Towers were then unable to score before time ran out and the game went into overtime.

When the Gold Diggers committed a defensive-passinterference penalty on the first play of overtime, the Towers were awarded four new downs.

With only very little ground to cover before breaking the goal line, the game appeared in hand.

However, on the second down, quarterback JR Artozqui’s pass

The Copenhagen Towers lost when it mattered most, but already their focus has switched to 2013

was intercepted by Gold Diggers defensive back Mikkel Lindsø, who returned 100 yards for a Gold Diggers score.

Lindsø might as well hang up his cleats now, because he’s unlikely to ever make as significant a play again. Having kept the Towers from scoring on their first drive of overtime, he also ensured that the Gold Diggers scored on their first possession

of overtime. Thus the game ended with a 41-35 victory for the Gold Diggers and a ticket to the Mermaid Bowl in Vejle against the Razorbacks on October 6.

The game was a rubber band affair, with the Towers pulling away only to see the Gold Diggers catch up. Again and again and again. The Towers scored on the opening drive of the game, but the Gold Diggers tied the

FCN ready for action in the lion’s den

Sports news and briefs Can Magee make it three?

Ladies advance to finals

Top triathlete calls time

Woz ends title wait

Just one minute away

Riis adds two more

Mikkel Kessler will fight Ireland’s Brian Magee for the WBA world interim supermiddleweight title at the Jyske Bank BOXEN in Herning on December 8, it has been confirmed by promoter Sauerland Event. It will be Magee’s third fight in Denmark in two years, following previous defeats of Rudy Markussen and Mads Larsen. Tickets will go on sale on October 1.

The national ladies football side have qualified for Euro 2013 in Sweden. In their final game at home, they only needed to claim a point to top the group, but found their Portuguese opponents in no mood to accommodate them. In the end, it took two goals in the final 25 minutes to secure their qualification for the 12-nation tournament, which will be contested from July 10-28.

Rasmus Henning, regarded by many as Denmark’s greatest ever triathlete, will retire following the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii on October 13. Over the course of his 13-year career, the 36-yearold has won five ITU World Cups, the prestigious Hy-Vee twice and this year’s Abu Dhabi International. However, at the Olympics, he never finished better than seventh (2004).

Caroline Wozniacki has won her first tournament in over a year, claiming the KDB Korea Open with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi – her first title since the New Haven Open in August 2011.

Wozniacki is currently involved in the Toray Pan Pacific Open, a premier event that carries more ranking points, where she has won two matches to advance to the third round.

The national Aussie rules football side, the Danish Vikings, came within a minute of claiming the European title, the AFL Euro Cup, on Saturday.

Leading the Irish Warriors by eleven points heading into the final of the game’s 24 minutes, they conceded two late goals to lose 4.5-5.0, a 29-30 cumulative points defeat. Denmark’s Aksel Bang was player of the tournament.

Bjarne Riis has added another two cyclists to his Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank for the 2013 season: Australian allrounder Jay McCarthy, 20, and Swiss climber Oliver Zaugg, 31.

McCarthy, who has signed a two-year deal, recently won the prologue of the Tour de l’Avenir.

The experienced Zaugg, who won last year’s Giro di Lombardia, was described by Riis as “smart” and “loyal”.

BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

28 September - 4 October 2012 MAERSK DRILLING

Ratings agencies praise Danish economic policy PETER STANNERS The government’s economic policies get nod of approval from the powerful ratings agencies despite Denmark’s low level of economic growth

T

PETER STANNERS Mærsk’s oil drilling subsidiary is investing heavily in Arcticready drilling rigs, a move that is concerning environmental organisations

M

AERSK DRILLING is going to be a key player in opening the Arctic to oil exploration by developing rigs that can drill for oil year-round under extreme conditions.

Speaking to financial daily Børsen, Claus Hemmingsen, the head of Maersk Drilling, said the company was investing heavily in developing the technology to unlock the Arctic’s bounty.

“Between a quarter and a third of the remaining oil reserves lie in the Arctic – it’s clearly attractive and it should be explored,” Hemmingsen said.

“The project we are now working on is about finding a way

to drill year-round so we can also drill when there is ice. It is possible.”

Maersk Drilling belongs to the AP Moller Maersk group, which also has an oil company, Maersk Oil. But while Maersk Drilling has taken out patents for technology that would allow it to drill in the Arctic, Maersk Oil only owns a limited number of licences for drilling in the Arctic.

It is therefore likely that Maersk Drilling will team up with other companies that have a larger number of drilling licences in the region, such as Shell and Gazprom.

Environmental groups have long opposed oil exploration in the Arctic over fears of the environmental damage that would be caused by an oil disaster like the enormous spill in 2010 caused by the blowout of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hemmingsen said, however, that ensuring both a high level

of expertise among staff and the correct technology would prevent any future disasters.

“It’s clear that if we are going to build a rig for the Arctic region, we need to make it as environmentally-friendly as possible and ensure that the equipment satisfies the highest standards,” Hemmingsen told Børsen.

Such messages mean little to organisations such as Greenpeace, which have called for a moratorium on oil drilling in the Arctic and have repeatedly disrupted attempts to drill for oil by boarding oil rigs.

According to Børsen, Maersk Drilling needs to reach its parent company’s target of 6 billion kroner a year in profits. Last year the company made 2.9 billion kroner in profits from a 11 billion dollar turnover.

As a result, the company is investing 55 billion kroner to add to its fleet of drilling rigs – many of which are already tailor-made for drilling in tough climates such as the North Sea.

BUSINESS NEWS AND BRIEFS Bank’s shares plummet

Foreign-owned business contribution on the increase

SHARES IN Vestjysk Bank lost 33 percent of their value onTuesday following a notice of loan impairments and the firing of CEO Frank Kristensen.

Vagn Thorsager, the former head of Aarhus Lokalbank, which merged with Vestjysk Bank earlier this year, has been appointed CEO. The bank now has a market value of 1.19 billion kroner.

New figures from Danmarks Statistik show that foreignowned companies in Denmark turned over 737 billion kroner in 2010, nearly 25 percent of the total revenue of the private sector from that year. It is also an eight percent increase compared to the year before.

In comparison, Danish-owned companies saw a revenue in-

crease of only 3 percent over the same period of time. The report showed that the nearly 3,700 businesses employed over a quarter of a million full-time employees and that 29 percent of the foreign-owned companies were Swedish, 12 percent German, 12 percent American, while 11 percent were from Britain.

Exchange Rates Australian Dollars AUD

Canada Dollars CAD

Euro EUR

Japan Yen JPY

Russia Rubles RUB

Sweden Kronor SEK

Switzerland Francs CHF

UK Pounds GBP

United States Dollars USD

Sell

5.76

5.70

7.35

0.07

0.17

0.85

6.06

9.20

5.66

Buy

6.29

6.17

7.58

0.08

0.19

0.89

6.26

9.57

5.93

ment’s independent economic council, Det Økonomiske Råd, said that Denmark benefits enormously from the positive view of Denmark held by the ratings agencies.

“We are one of the countries with the most control of the situation,” Andersen told Politiken. “The benefit is that the economic policies are not questioned. This means we can keep low interest rates and are not as subject to mistrust as other countries have been.”

Despite the approval of the credit ratings agencies, the Danish economy is still sluggish and only recently pulled itself out of recession when it registered 0.3 percent growth in the first quarter of 2012.

COLOURBOX

Maersk sees a sea of opportunity in Artic

HE GOVERNMENT’S management of the Danish economy has earned it praise from the powerful ratings agencies whose verdicts on the economic credibility of countries can either make them sink or swim.

Thankfully for Denmark, the ratings agencies support the fiscal policies of the current government that have helped keep the nation afloat.

“The Danish economy has many structural strengths,” Maria Malas-Mroueh, an analyst from the Fitch ratings agency, told Politiken newspaper. “Its versatile, personal income is high and there are robust economic, political and social institutions. A long tradition of sensible economic policies is reflected in a relatively low level of structural unemployment and a stable currency.”

Ivan Morozov from Standard & Poor’s added that Denmark’s prized triple-A rating is a result of the government’s “continued commitment to fiscal discipline and growth-orientated macro-economic policy”.

Torben Andersen, a former chairman of the govern-

15

Denmark’s stable currency is one of the reasons ratings agencies praised the government’s economic policy

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN DENMARK

UK Market Access Seminar The UK is a large and close market which is attractive to many Danish businesses. Although Denmark and the UK are close trading partners, there are still differences in the way business is being conducted in the two countries and it is important that these are understood and overcome. Would you like to hear more about some of the challenges Danish companies have faced, and overcome, when entering the UK market? Are you interested in some practical advice about how to conduct business in the UK? Two events will be held jointly with the Danish UK Chamber in Aarhus and Copenhagen. Join us, and get insight into the current British business climate and how you could succeed in this market. The major considerations regarding export and capital when setting up in the UK will be outlined and some possible solutions offered. The forum will focus on sharing the experiences and knowledge gained by people and companies who have tried it. Plus, it will also be an excellent networking opportunity!

This event is free of charge for everyone. Please specify which day you would like to attend. Please note the deadline for registration is 4 November 2012.

Venues 14 November 2012 Delacour Dania Lille Torv 6 8000 Aarhus C Denmark 15 November 2012 Delacour Dania Langebrogade 4 1411 Copenhagen K Denmark Speakers Laura Thorborg, The Royal Danish Embassy, London Hans Monberg, UKTI, Copenhagen Bent Bang Haulrik, KapitalBørsen Martin Williams, European Business Solutions Preben Paulsen, Planova

Non-members are very welcome. Please contact BCCD or go to www.bccd.dk for further information

Price in kroner for one unit of foreign currency

If you would like to attend then please send us an email (event@bccd.dk) or call +45 31 18 75 58

Date: 26 September 2012

• official media partner Denmark’s only English-language newspaper

16

EMPLOYMENT

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

28 September - 4 October 2012

Biotech Job Vacancies

Leo-Pharma

Project Manager for Energy Optimization and GMP HVAC Analytical Scientist for Pharmaceutical Product Support – two vacancies Business Analyst EU5+ R&D scientist for pilot plant activities in API Development

Title: Sr. Health Technical Officer Qualifications: University degree in health or related fields, preferably post-graduate Degree in Public Health, Health Policy, Planning, Management, Health Financing or other related Health field; 10 years of international health development experience.

Lundbeck

Publications Coordinator HR Process & Systems Consultant

Primary Responsibility: The primary responsibilities will be to identify new partners and consultants and to lead and collaborate the preparation of high quality proposals for international donors and technical agencies within the PH field and undertake assignments where relevant. The Sr. Health Technical Officer will also provide technical assistance to other EHG staff on technical and overall issues related to proposal development.

Novozymes Scientist Project Manager Scheduler KA

Ferring

Duties: Business Development, Networking and Project Acquisition (60%) Strategic business development / business acquisition Proposal writing and management In-country fact finding missions Identification of experts Building strategic alliances/partnerships (creating networks and partnership) Technical advisor within various PH and M&E areas

Project Statistician, Global Biometrics Pharmacovigilance Physician, Global Pharmacovigilance Scientist, Drug Substance, Chemical Development (temp) Sourcing Manager, Pharmaceutical Development Support

Novo Nordisk

Project Assistant (1 year temp) Team leader Manager Global Product Manager International PostDoc International Trial Manager PLM System Manager Quality Coordinator Business IT Analyst SAP FI and ICE Professional R&D Engineer HR Business Partner Medical Specialist

Project Management and technical Backstopping (15%) Backstopping of projects from head office and occasionally in project countries Ensuring compliance with project/donor requirements Monitor progress of projects Consultancy assignments (25%) Public Health Advisor – with various technical skills Ad hoc Assist with developing strategic directions Development of promotional materials Location: EHG HQ Office Copenhagen (Søborg) and regular travel to developing countries anticipated at minimum of 25% of overall time.

Please include a CV and cover letter highlighting your skills and expertise in the areas listed above and your international experience; e-mail to: Susanne Andersen - sandersen@ehg.dk

For more information and other job vacancies visit our webpage www.cphpost.dk/jobvacancies

Copenhagen International Schoolschool is looking foris an: looKing coPenhagen international IB Primary School Classroom Teacher for Grade 5 This isthe a temporary position (maternity leave cover) for one year to fill folloWing Positions: starting in December 2012 The applicant should be a qualified teacher with a minimum of 2 years experience working in a similar position.Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and grade 1 teachers

English as an Additional Language Teacher (EAL PYP) 60% position coPenhagen international school is looKing The Student Department Copenhagen InternationalPositions: School is inviting applications for the toServices fill theatfolloWing position of EAL teacher within the Primary Years’ Programme (PYP). This position is part-time (60%) and will begin as soon as the appropriate candidate has been found.

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and grade 1 teachers

The successful applicants should be qualified teachers with a minimum of 2 years’ experience within an early Please see the International Baccalaureate Primary School Teacherworking job description onyears the programme.

CIS website http:// The positionwww.cis.dk/page.cfm?p=303 will start on August 1st 2012. for more details of the general responsibilities attached to this position.

Qualifications: The successful applicants be qualified teachersorwith a minimum 2 years’ working within an early years programme.

• Ashould degree in Education related to theoffield ofexperience Education The position will start on August 1st 2012.

• Further qualifications in EAL

We are looking for teachers who have knowledge and experience of the international Baccalaureate Primary years We are looking for a teacher who has: programme (iB PyP), and who: • Excellent classroom practice • can design effective and developmentally appropriate learning opportunities • A strong work ethic • can demonstrate a track record of excellent classroom practice including in-depth understanding of differentiated instruction, second language • Excellent organizational skills acquisition and play based learning • Excellent communication skills • have a strong work ethic and excellent organizational skills • Ability to build strong collegial relationships • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player • Willingness and commitment towards ongoing collaboration with classroom and other subject • have willingness and commitment to contribute to the development of the curriculum teachers • have willingness and commitment to contribute to the greater school community • Demonstrate professionalism in its broadest sense • will demonstrate professionalism in its broadest sense

We are looking for teachers who have knowledge and experience of the international Baccalaureate Primary years Experience working with children whose primary language is not English and who require language programme (iB PyP), and who: support: • can design effective and developmentally appropriate learning opportunities • can demonstrate a track record of excellent classroom practice including in-depth understanding of differentiated instruction, second language Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: acquisition and play based learning • Assisting in the preparation and implementation of the English as an Additional Language • have a strong work ethic and excellent organizational skills (EAL) student programming.

• have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player • Reinforcing organizational skills: providing immediate feedback, in order to promote the • have willingness and commitment to contribute to the development of the curriculum acquisition of language goals.

• have willingness and commitment to contribute to the greater school community • Working collaboratively as a member of the support team in the classroom and school.

• will demonstrate professionalism in its broadest sense

•

Knowledge and experience of the IB PYP would be an asset

andstatement gradeof1 educational assistants Applications including Kindergarten C.V. covering letter, a brief philosophy and the names of three current referees with contact information should be sent electronically by the 12 October 2012 to: The Kindergarten and Grade 1 teams are looking for additional Assistants to join the existing teams. The successful candidates should be qualified to work Audrey Amos-Frederiksen at aaf@cis.dk

Please note a Danish work permit is required for this position.

Kindergarten and grade 1 assistants

Applications should be made in writing, including a curriculum vitae and a cover letter including the

with children between the ages of 5 and 7 with a strong background and experience in early years’ education and with a minimum of two years of experience working in an early years programme. The position will start on August 1st 2012.

The Kindergarten and Grade 1 teams are looking for additional Assistants to join the existing teams. The successful candidates should be qualified to work names of three current referees (with e-mail addresses). with children between the ages of 5 and 7 with a strong background and experience in early years’ education and with a minimum of two years of experience working in an early years programme. The position will start on August 1st 2012.

• have a caring and nurturing approach with children • are organized and demonstrate effective classroom practice Hellerupvej 22-26 • have a strong work ethic 2900 Hellerup T +45 3946 3311 • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player www.cis.dk • preferably have knowledge and experience of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. (IB PYP)

• have a caring and nurturing approach with children The closing date for applications is October 1st, 2012.

• are organized and demonstrate effective classroom practice Hellerupvej 22-26 • have a strong work ethic 2900 Hellerup T +45 3946 3311 • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player www.cis.dk • preferably have knowledge and experience of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. (IB PYP)

Please note: Copenhagen International School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date mentioned above.

We are looking for early years’ educators who:

Stockholmsgade 59 2100 Copenhagen Ø T +45 3946 3309 www.cis.dk

Please send applications addressed to the attention of Karen Watts, Director of Student Support karenwatts@cis.dk We are lookingServices for early at years’ educators who:

Stockholmsgade 59 2100 Copenhagen Ø T +45 3946 3309 www.cis.dk

THE COPENHAGEN POST SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT PAGE SPOUSE: Keshab Nidhi Pantha FROM: Nepal SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Masters in Mathematics EXPERIENCE: 4 years Mathematics teaching in secondary level and 2 years Mathematics teaching in Bachlor level.

LOOKING FOR: Full time/ part time Mathematics teaching in international scool or College/ University LANGUAGE SKILLS: English,Nepali,Hindi and little Danish IT EXPERIENCE: 6 months diploma in computer with MS words and excel.

CONTACT: pantha_kn@yahoo.com Tel:+45 71579893 SPOUSE: Munawar Saleem FROM: Pakistan SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: MBA logistics and supply chain management (Jonkoping University, Sweden) M.Sc. Computer Sciences (Punjab University, Lahore Pakistan).

EXPERIENCE: 4 years, Lecturer in computer sciences.

LOOKING FOR:Full time or part time job in Logistics and Supply.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English (fluent), Urdu (mother tongue), Swedish (Basic).

IT EXPERIENCE: Proficient in MS Office (word, excel, power point etc.).

CONTACT: libravision3@gmail.com, Tel: 71412010 SPOUSE: Mohammad Ahli- Gharamaleki FROM: Iran SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Master degree in chemical engineering.

EXPERIENCE: 5+ years as a chemical engineer in R&D oil/gas projects as a team leader or member in Iran.

LOOKING FOR: A position in an Intrnational company to expand my experience and expertise.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Azeri (native), English (fluent), Farsi (fluent), Arabic (good), Turkish (good), Danish(beginner).

IT EXPERIENCE: Professional (MATLAB, Hysys, Aspen plus, Auto Cad, others (Office, Minitab).

CONTACT: mohammad_ahli@yahoo.com, Tel: (+45) 71 63 12 85 SPOUSE: Teja Priyanka FROM: India SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: MBA in Finance and marketing , bachelor in Biotechnology.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Telugu(mother tounge), Hindi, English, Danish(biggnier).

IT EXPERIENCE: Familier with Microsoft office(word, excel,powerpoint,access, ), photoshop.

CONTACT: teja.priyanka.n@gmail.com SPOUSE: S.M. Ariful Islam FROM: Bangladesh SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: PhD student (2nd year) in Language Policy and Practice in Aalborg University, MA in Bilingualism, MA in English Linguistics, BA in English.

EXPERIENCE: 18 months as a University lecturer in English in Bangladesh. Taught advanced grammar, four skills (listening, speaking, reading & writing), ELT courses, Second Language theories, Psycholinguistics, Sociolinguistics.

LOOKING FOR: A position of English teacher/lecturer in English Medium Schools, Colleges and Universities.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Bengali (mother tongue), English (second language), Danish (fluent) Danske Uddannelse PD3, Hindi and Urdu (Spoken) and Swedish (basic).

IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office.

CONTACT: ariful@id.aau.dk, arif401@yahoo.com, Tel: +45 42778296

PARTNERS:

SPOUSE: Chao Wen FROM: China SEEKING WORK IN: Great Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Language teacher (German, Chinese.

EXPERIENCE: Teaching Chinese as a foreign language by offering company-course for 2 years, in Germany; teaching Chinese to native speaker in private school for 4 years, in Germany; teaching German as a foreign language by offering private course; exhibition interpreter; translator.

LOOKING FOR: Part time or full time in Aarhus, Language teacher, translator or interpreter.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Chinese, English, German, Danish.

IT EXPERIENCE: Windows, Open office, Powerpoint.

CONTACT: wenlily80@googlemail.com, Tel: 48417526 SPOUSE: Mr Prenit Kumar Pokhrel FROM: Nepal SEEKING WORK IN: Anywhere in Denmark QUALIFICATION: Masters degree in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (3 years), Bachelor in Dental Surgery (On the Process of Danish Education for International Education, for independent practice).

EXPERIENCE: 12 years in Dentistry and related research field.

LOOKING FOR: Jobs in Dental Clinics, assisting dental specialist in his/her work, researches in oral health, oral health awareness programs and private clinics, Teaching health in schools.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English (fluent written and spoken), Enrolled for Danish Language classes, Nepali, Hindi.

IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office CONTACT: pokhrelprenit@yahoo.com Tel: +457182 1485 SPOUSE: Fernando Carlos Cardeira da Silva FROM: Portugal SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Accounting course from Danish Institution (Regnskabs medarbejder at Niels Brock), previous frequency of Accounting and Management courses in Portugal.

EXPERIENCE: I have more than 5 years of experience in accounting.

LOOKING FOR: Job as accounting assistant.

IT EXPERIENCE: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and Power point) and accounting software such as Navision C5.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: I can read and write Danish, English, Portuguese, Spanish and French.

CONTACT: fercardeira@gmail.com Tel: +45 50437588 SPOUSE: Erik Metzger FROM: San Francisco, CA USA SEEKING WORK IN: Drug & Alcohol Counselling QUALIFICATION: Masters degree in addiction counselling from Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies; Currently preparing for the IC&RC counselling exam.

EXPERIENCE: Drug & Alcohol Counselor; Masters in Addiction Counseling from Hazelden Graduate School in Minnesota, USA, August 2012. Ten years of active work in various 12-step programs. I can meet with you and/or your family to develop a custom recovery plan; all ages welcome. Registered Yoga Teacher through: www.yogaalliance.org since July, 2010. I can supply yoga mats and supports; my apartment or yours! Teacher of business English with training from Berlitz, Virksomhedsskolen and Denmark’s Library School (Cand.scient.bibl., 2007). *All diploma’s and certifications available upon request LOOKING FOR: Part/Full/Freelance/Volunteer work at treatment center and/or outpatient clinic.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English: Native; Danish: Fluent verbal skills and intermediate reading and writing.

IT EXPERIENCE: PC and Mac – trained in many software packages and databases.

CONTACT: erikmetz@gmail.com

SPOUSE: Christina Koch FROM: Australia SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Drama, 1997 University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Experienced actor and voice coach for speakers, with parallel high level experience in written communications.

LOOKING FOR: Voice coaching for corporate presenters and speakers, Writing and Communications work, work in theatre organisations.

IT EXPERIENCE:Microsoft Office, Office for Mac. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English - Native speaker, excellent written and oral expression. German – good reading and listening skills. Spanish – fluent oral communication, good reading and listening skills. Danish – beginners level speaking and writing skills.

CONTACT: Tel: +45 52 77 30 93 Christina@hermionesvoice.com, www.hermionesvoice.com.

SPOUSE: Raffaele Menafra FROM: Italy SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: A degree as Prevention techniques in Work and Workplaces.

EXPERIENCE: I worked 4 years in a rehabilitation clinic.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Italian (native), English, Danish (currently learning).

IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office.

CONTACT: menafra1@yahoo.it SPOUSE: Ylenia Fiorini FROM: Italy SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Post Graduate Master’s Degree in Peace Studies, Development Cooperation, International Mediation and Conflict resolution EXPERIENCE: I have ten years experience as social worker in Italy,and experience in various fields, in the social and third sector and I feel that my educational background combined with my campaign assistant practice in the Ngo Burma Campaign, in Barcelona, has been an excellent preparation. In the same way also my job experiences in the social field made me open to different situations and to see them as a source of knowledge.

LOOKING FOR: Entry Level jobs in the third sector field, in international organization or NGO’s LANGUAGE SKILLS: Italian Mother tongue, fluent in Spanish, English, French, Swedish (basic) IT EXPERIENCE: Ms Office (Mac,Windows) CONTACT: yleniafiorini@yahoo.it

Denmark’s only English-language newspaper

THE COPENHAGEN POST SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT PAGE WHY: The Copenhagen Post wishes to help spouses looking for jobs in Denmark. We have on our own initiative started a weekly spouse job page in The Copenhagen Post, with the aim to show that there are already within Denmark many highly educated international candidates looking for jobs.

If you are a spouse to an international employee in Denmark looking for new career opportunities, you are welcome to send a profile to The Copenhagen Post at aviaja@cphpost.dk and we will post your profile on the spouse job page when possible. Remember to get it removed in case of new job.

coPenhagen international school looKing Copenhagen International School is looking to fillis two positions: to fill the folloWing Positions:

Pre-Kindergarten Assistant (3-5 year olds) – Permanent Position

The successful candidate should be qualified to work with children between the ages of 3 grade 1 teachers and 5, with aPre-Kindergarten, strong background andKindergarten experience in earlyand year’s education and should have a minimum of two years full time experience.

The successful applicants should be qualified teachers with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working within an early years programme.

The position will start on August 1st 2012.

Kindergarten Teacher (5-6 year olds)- Maternity Cover

is a position cover a maternity leave from 1st of November WeThis are looking for teachersto who have knowledge and experience of thethe international Baccalaureate2012 Primaryuntil years the end of programme (iB PyP), and who: February 2013.

• can design effective and developmentally appropriate learning opportunities • can demonstrate a track record of excellent classroom practice including in-depth understanding of differentiated instruction, second language The successful candidate should be qualified to work with children between the ages of 5 acquisition and play based learning • have a strong work ethic and excellent organizational skills and 6, with a strong background and experience in early year’s education and should has a • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player minimum of two years full time experience.

• have willingness and commitment to contribute to the development of the curriculum • have willingness and commitment to contribute to the greater school community • will demonstrate professionalism in its broadest sense Qualifications: For both positions, we are looking for someone who is enthusiastic and have: • Caring and nurturing approach withand children Kindergarten grade 1 assistants • Organized and effective classroom practice The Kindergarten and Grade 1 teams are looking for additional Assistants to join the existing teams. The successful candidates should be qualified to work strong with• childrenAbetween the work ages of 5ethic and 7 with a strong background and experience in early years’ education and with a minimum of two years of experience working early yearscollegial programme.relationships The position will start on August 1st 2012.

• in anStrong • Preferably knowledge of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme We are looking for early years’ educators who: • have a caring and nurturing approach with children • are organized and demonstrate effective classroom practice Applications including C.V. covering letter, a brief statement of educational philosophy and the • have a strong work ethic names of three current referees with contact information should be sent electronically by the • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player 12th October 2012 to: Audrey Amos-Frederiksen at aaf@cis.dk • preferably have knowledge and experience of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. (IB PYP)

Please note: Copenhagen International School reserves the right to make an appointment Primary & middle danish before the closing date mentioned above. Aschool Danish work permitteachers is required for Wethese are looking to fill one full-time and one part-time position (60%) to join our team of Danish teachers. These positions are to teach both Danish positions.

Language A and Danish as an Additional Language.

The positions will start on August 1st 2012. The successful applicants should be qualified teachers with at least two years full time teaching Stockholmsgade 59 Hellerupvej 22-26 experience.

2100 Copenhagen Ø 2900 Hellerup The successful applicants must be Danish native speakers.

T +45 3946 3309 T +45 3946 3311 www.cis.dk www.cis.dk We are looking for teachers who:

IBMYP ScIence teacher gradeS 6-8is looKing coPenhagen international school Full-time, temporary position from the 1st of November 2012 to 19th June 2013 (maternity leave cover) to fill the folloWing Positions: The successful applicant should be a qualified teacher with a strong background in Science teaching and at least two years full-time teaching experience in this field. Applicants should have a desire to work collaboratively across the curriculum andKindergarten be grounded in best practices of middle level education.

Pre-Kindergarten, and grade 1 teachers The successful applicants should be qualified teachers with a minimum 2 years’ experience working within an early yearscan programme.

Please see the Copenhagen International SchoolofIBMYP Teacher Job Description, which be found on our The positionwebsite will start www.cis.dk, on August 1st 2012. for more details of the general responsibilities attached to this position. We are looking

for teachers who have:

We are looking for teachers who have knowledge and experience of the international Baccalaureate Primary years programme PyP), and who:for a teacher who has: We(iBare looking • can design effective and developmentally appropriate learning opportunities • Knowledge of the MYP; • can demonstrate a track record of excellent classroom practice including in-depth understanding of differentiated instruction, second language • Excellent classroom practice; acquisition and play based learning • A strong work ethic; • have a strong work ethic and excellent organizational skills • Strong collegial relationships; • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player • A willingness and commitment to contribute to the development of the curriculum • have willingness and commitment to contribute to the development of the curriculum • have willingness and commitment to contribute to the greater school community • A willingness and commitment to contribute to the greater school community • will demonstrate professionalism in its broadest sense • Demonstarte professionalism in its broadest sense.

Candidates interested in this position should email a letter of application, CV and contact details of three Kindergarten and grade 1 assistants current referees to Suzanne O’Reilly at sor@cis.dk. the closing applications is Oct. 19,to2012, applications willcandidates be handled an on- to work The Kindergarten and Grade date 1 teamsfor are looking for additional Assistants join thehowever existing teams.

The successful shouldon be qualified going basis appointments maybackground be made and prior to this indate. with children between theand ages of 5 and 7 with a strong experience early years’ education and with a minimum of two years of experience working in an early years programme. The position will start on August 1st 2012.

Please note a valid Danish work permit is required for this position.

We are looking for early years’ educators who: • have a caring and nurturing approach with children • are organized and demonstrate effective classroom practice Hellerupvej 22-26 • have a strong work ethic 2900 Hellerup T +45 3946 3311 • have a track record of being an effective collaborator and team player www.cis.dk • preferably have knowledge and experience of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. (IB PYP)

Stockholmsgade 59 2100 Copenhagen Ø T +45 3946 3309 www.cis.dk

18

culture Culture

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

28 September - 4 October 2012

Elise Beacom

Who is Bjørn Lomborg? dr/ Bjarne Bergius Hermansen

In a fiercely competitive year for Danish film, ‘A Royal Affair’ is crowned its country’s nominee for the Oscars

zentropa

Court romance sees off holiday fling and amorous artists

O

ff the back of its success at the Berlin International Film Festival, Danish film ‘A Royal Affair’ has been chosen to represent its country at the 2012 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The Danish Oscar Submitting Committee, which is made up of representatives of the country’s film industry, last Friday selected Nikolaj Arcel’s film as the national entry, selecting it from a shortlist of three that also included Susanne Bier’s ‘Den skaldede frisør’ (‘Love Is All You Need’) and Bille August’s ‘Marie Krøyer’.

The Zentropa film, which stars Denmark’s most famous actor Mads Mikkelsen, recently picked up two Silver Bears in Berlin for Best Actor (Mikkel Følsgaard) and Best Script (Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg), and in the UK recorded the best opening weekend ever for a Danish-language film.

But regardless of the film’s accolades, the decision to put it up as Denmark’s Oscar representative was not an easy one considering the high calibre of films released recently, according to selectors.

linn lemhag

“Courtly romance, that’s what Uncle Oscar wants, not another Shirley Valentine imitation or introspection about procrastinating artists”

“It has been a difficult decision. This past year has been excellent for Danish film with many titles of unique international class,” said Henrik Bo Nielsen, the CEO of the Danish Film Institute and head of the selection committee.

Once it has reviewed the submissions for Best Foreign Language Film, the Oscar Academy will announce a shortlist of nine nominations a week before a final shortlist of five are confirmed on January 10 ahead of the awards show on February 26.

‘A Royal Affair’, which opened in Denmark on March 29, has sold more than half a

million tickets, which though impressive, is not outstanding in a year when the country’s cinema is booming.

Two other contenders that missed out on being shortlisted for the Oscar submission were ‘Jagten’ (‘The Hunt’), which took three awards at Cannes this year, and ‘Hvidsten gruppen’ (‘The Village: One family’s sacrifice will let a country live’).

‘Hvidsten gruppen’ has been the country’s most watched film so far, grossing 53.7 million kroner, against third-placed ‘A Royal Affair’, which has only grossed 35.8 million kroner.

But even those figures are

likely to look impressive when compared to the takings of a whole glut of Danish films that are being released during September and October.

A total of nine Danish films are being released over a six-week period, making competition for box office sales all the more fierce. The tight cluster of releases will account for 42 percent of the year’s Danish releases.

Kim Pedersen, the president of Danske Biografer, told Jyllands-Posten it was against all logic to saturate the market with so many films at once.

“We often hear filmmakers complain that they have it tough.

But now they are really starting to drown,” said Pedersen.

While Klaus Hansen, the head of the producers’ association, Producentforeningen, told the newspaper the lopsided distribution was “crazy” and “a waste of money”.

“Some films will unnecessarily lose significant revenue because there are limits on how many films people can afford to see in such quick succession,” said Hansen.

While the Danish Film Institute has lobbied distributors to spread out the releases more evenly, the body has no authority to regulate the market.

Lovisa Dröfn

Bastard HHHHHH

B Nikolaj Lie Kass (right) is the show’s new star addition this season

Third season of Danish crime series premieres to universal acclaim

C

lose to 1.7 million Danish viewers tuned in for Sunday night’s season three premiere of ‘Forbrydelsen’ (‘The Killing’) on DR1. And the nation’s critics weren’t disappointed either, with high marks across the board from almost all the media outlets.

Politiken called it “f***ing great”, hailing Nikolaj Lie Kaas the “Danish answer to Cary Grant”. Kaas, a new addition to series three, is best known in Denmark for playing the lead in ‘Dirch’, and abroad as playing the assassin in ‘Angels & Demons’.

The newspaper commended the same raw, neo noir cinematography used in previous seasons.

“The setting is a dark and demonic side of Copenhagen, with overgrown shanty towns in the shadow of big business glass

palaces,” observed Politiken. “In such a moral mess goes one brave and honest woman with a heart of gold: Sarah Lund.”

Other media remain fixated with the lead character’s taste in sweaters.

Her appearance “is just as much a Scandinavian illusion as the brandy-drinking, pipesmoking Maigret is a Parisian premise”, commented JyllandsPosten. “But it works anyway: you bear with it, because the rest is such good entertainment.”

Politiken and J-P, along with fellow broadsheet Berlingske and tabloid BT, gave the show five out of six stars. Only the tabloid Ekstra Bladet gave it a negative review.

Awarding just three stars, it found it “more confusing than enchanting”, claiming the scriptwriters “for fear of boring their viewers, made the classic mistake of including way too much information”.

astard is a trilingual Scandinavian collaboration between Reykjavík City Theatre, Malmö City Theatre, Vesterport, and Theatre FÅR302.

Waage Sande plays a despicable father who summons his ‘bastards’, as he refers to his children, under the false pretence that he is dying, but he is in fact getting married. As the four children reunite with their father, they are faced with unresolved emotions, frustration and dark family secrets.

The story itself was engaging: never too complicated to follow though always interesting with a few unexpected twists.

Director Gísli Örn Garðarsson and writer Richard LaGravenese admit to being inspired by Russian literature and Icelandic sagas and there were certainly strong characters, foul language and seductive women, all mixed with a fair amount of violence.

Although the casting was good in its entirety, extra credit must be given to Håkan Paaske and Fredrik Gunnarson, who not only played their roles convincingly, but also provided

Per morten abrahamsen

DR/Tine harden

Killing it and “f***ing great” Unlike the family, the play functions

Getting lost in Fælledparken – we’ve all been there

excellent comic relief in an otherwise somewhat heavy family drama. It was quite strange to see the actors speaking to each other in three different languages, but somehow it suited the theme of people meeting with little in common except for their background, much like the Scandinavian nations.

The stage was rectangular and the audience were seated all around it. The stage itself was rather small, but Börkur Jónsson’s clever design made use of the entire space. As the story unfolded, it was interesting to see how the actors used the stage. The director, a former gymnast himself, is known for using acrobatics in his productions and although ‘Bastard’

was not acrobatic at its core, the actors were made to work hard: there was running, climbing, dangling and even diving involved.

The only downside was the music, or perhaps lack thereof, which failed to leave an impression. However, all in all, the play was entertaining and ‘Bastard’ proved that the theatre is still very much a relevant media that can create magic when the right people work together.

The Danish, Swedish and Icelandic play ‘Bastard’ was performed from September 7-23 in Fælledparken. There were Danish supertitles and English subtitles were available via smartphone applications.

He is a 47-year-old academic and environmental writer.

He is best known for his best-selling and controversial 2001 book, ‘The Sceptical Environmentalist’.

So why is this book of his so controversial?

Lomborg claimed that all the most-publicised information and predictions about climate change are wrong. He once called the greenhouse effect a “myth”.

So he doesn’t believe in global warming?

No, he does believe in global warming, but doesn’t seem to think the issue is too pressing.

He campaigned against the Kyoto Protocol, stating that shortterm temperature rises were inevitable.

And this turned out to be a bestseller?

Yes. But not everyone loved it – many environmental scientists lodged complaints against the work, and the Danish Committees on Scientific Honesty (DCSD) slapped him with not one, but six different accusations of scientific dishonesty, including the fabrication of data, plagiarism and the deliberate selective discarding of unwanted results.

Ouch. Did he get into a lot of trouble?

No, not really. His book was deemed to be scientifically dishonest, but Lomborg himself wasn’t in any trouble, as they figured he didn’t have enough expertise within that area to be deliberately falsifying facts.

Say what?

Lomborg has an MA and a PhD in political science, so his findings within environmental sciences are, pretty much, irrelevant.

Okay, so what is he doing now?

Because his first book went down so well, Lomborg decided to publish another book in 2007, this time the oh-so-modestly entitled ‘Solutions for the World’s Biggest Problems’. These days he’s teaching at Copenhagen Business School. Whether it’s within the humanities or science department is unclear − just like Lomborg’s distinction between the subjects really.

28 September - 4 October 2012

DENMARK THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

19

!

D N A L S I R U O F F HANS O MARK WALKER Canada and Denmark’s ownership dispute dates back decades: nations have gone to war over less

P

ERHAPS one of the strangest ongoing land disputes in history exists between Denmark and Canada. In the northern reaches of the Kennedy Channel at the mouth of the Arctic Ocean, there lies a relatively indistinct chunk of rock known as Hans Island. Kidney-shaped and sandwiched between Greenland and Canada’s Ellesmere Island, this remote island, which is only 1.3 sq km in size, contains no worthwhile mineral or chemical compounds. Nothing grows on it, there’s little fishing to speak of and no inhabitants of either country have ever lived there ... and yet, for several decades now, these two governments have been engaged in political posturing and a tit-for-tat war of words, flags and bottles.

At a time where the climate is heating up, ice caps are rapidly melting and new shipping routes are being forged, the ownership of the Arctic Ocean is being disputed in ever increasing urgency by the five coastal claimants (US, Russia, Norway, Denmark and Canada). It would appear that the historical dispute over Hans Island can be viewed as a bizarre microcosm of the race for Arctic dominance. The irony being that although the Arctic promises new gas and oil reserves, Hans Island itself promises nothing of the sort. It is utterly barren, so why should anyone care about it? One imagines that, more than anything, the island symbolises for both countries their

geo-political clout. If either country backs down now, what will happen to their international authority and/or claims elsewhere? Activists on both sides have tended towards hysteria over the matter, with Danes crying (somewhat ironically) ‘imperialist occupation’ and Canada whini n g about the threat to their sovereignty.

On the other hand, most media on both sides regard the matter as a bit of a joke.

Canada fervently maintains that Hans Island is theirs, although their original claim, made on the grounds of their historical occupation, has been disproven.

The Canadians claimed the island was named and discovered by a British man, and that it was technically theirs as they acquired all of Britain’s Arctic territories. However, that man was later proven to be an American, Charles Francis Hall, the captain of the Polaris, who both discovered and named the island after his Greenlandic guide, Hans Hendrik, on 29 August 1871.

The Americans gave up their claim on Greenland in 1916 after paying the Danes $250 million for a group of Caribbean islands that are now known as the United States Virgin Islands.

It was following this event that Denmark was able to extend its influence north, over the whole of Greenland. Furthermore, the

Inughuits, a tiny group of Inuits from northernmost Greenland (accounting for 1 percent of Greenland’s population), had long since had their own name for the island, Tartupaluk, which in their tongue denotes its kidney bean shape.

Often in resolving an ownership dispute, a major factor is how the claimants make use of the land. While there have never been any inhabitants on the island, it’s likely that many centuries ago, as far back as the 1300s, Inuit settlers first started using Hans Island for its high vantage point during hunting expeditions. However, Green-

When frozen over, the kidney-shaped island is a useful vantage spot for hunters

land wasn’t entirely Danish territory until the north was annexed in 1917.

In an official capacity, Hans Island first appeared on a map as Canadian territory in 1967.

That map was, unsurprisingly, Canadian. Six years later in 1973, Canada entered into territorial negotiations with the Danes to divide the ownership of their shared continental shelf.

However, it was agreed that these smaller islands should carry no sea territory and that ownership should be allocated separately. Unfortunately, both sides failed to reach an official agreement on a process to achieve this

and so the matter has remained unresolved ever since. A decade later in 1983, the two nations accepted shared responsibility for matters such as marine life and other environmental concerns in the area. They again failed to tackle the ownership issue of Hans Island, but both acknowledged that it was in their common interest to resolve the matter.

At that same time, a shadow was cast over this fragile diplomacy when it was revealed that certain Canadian interests had demonstrated a blatant disregard for agreed etiquette. The Canadian oil firm, Dome Petroleum from the Northwest Territories (NWT), was at that same moment employing a scientist to research on the structure of the island. Denmark was not notified and Canadian authorities claimed to have no knowledge of the activity. The oil firm was conducting structural research on the foundations of the island, investigating its time-honoured resilience against the flow of the Kennedy Channel. This was in preparation for constructing its own artificial off-shore drilling islands in the Beaufort Sea. The scientist was spotted by Kenn Harper, a prolific Arctic historian who is Greenlandic.

To make matters worse, upon meeting the scientist, Harper noticed the man was wearing a hat with the words ‘HANS

ISLAND N.W.T.’ emblazoned across it. The scientist had apparently spent the summer there carrying out his research.

Following this, a frenzy of flag-erecting ensued, with Denmark’s then minister of Greenlandic affairs, Tom Høyem, being the first to plant the Dannebrog on the island on 28 July 1984. From then on, various parties from both nations repeatedly removed the other’s flag and erected their own. Often, in a playful gesture, leaving their national tipple for the next round of visitors: the Danes leaving a bottle of schnapps, of course, and the Canadians a bottle of whiskey.

But in 2005, tensions took a sharp escalation towards something resembling hostility when the then Canadian defence minister landed on the island as part of a tour of military outposts.

Denmark responded with indignation and sent a patrol ship, the HDMS Tulugaq, to assert Danish sovereignty. It was later recalled to ease tensions following the concession of the then prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to open negotiations. It was decided that the matter should be resolved by the countries’ respective foreign ministers at the UN later that year. It wasn’t.

Canadian concessions then came in 2007 when new satellite evidence proved that the original 1973 division regarding the continental shelf would have in fact split Hans Island right down the middle. In 2008, scientists from Australia, Canada, Denmark and the UK gained permission from both governments to install an automated weather station on the island, and finally, in April of this year, a fresh round of ownership negotiations began. The strangeness continues.

The island is slap in the middle of the narrow waters dividing the two countries’ territories

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