Greenland official fired after using Inuit healer

Greenland's top civil servant, who used an Inuit healer to chase evil spirits from local government offices, has been fired. Hans Enoksen, the Prime Minister, said he had sacked Jens Lyberth, the administrative manager for the government, and two other senior officials.

Mr Lyberth, Mr Enoksen's interpreter and friend, sparked a political crisis in the semi-autonomous Danish territory when he used a healer to "drive away negative energy" from offices in downtown Nuuk, the capital.

Most of the 56,000 residents belong to Denmark's Lutheran church but some keep ancient Inuit traditions. By firing the three men, Mr Enoksen, of the social democratic Siumut party, averted a possible challenge to the governing coalition. Having won an election last month on a campaign to eliminate political favouritism, he was accused of cronyism by appointing the three officials.

Josef Motzfeldt, the deputy prime minister and head of the Inuit Ataqatigitt party, asked opposition Democrats if they were interested in toppling the Prime Minister and forming a new government. Mr Enoksen threatened to call elections.