Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Dismisses Biden’s Cannibalism Comments
PORT MORESBY — In response to US President Joe Biden’s suggestion that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals in Papua New Guinea during World War Two, Prime Minister James Marape has dismissed the claims as “loose” talk.
Biden made the comments last week, stating that his relative had disappeared over the country and his body was never found due to the presence of “a lot of cannibals”. However, US media noted that official records do not support this claim.
Marape emphasized that the US-Papuan relationship is strong and based on “deeper values”, despite Biden’s remarks. He mentioned that in their meetings, Biden had never referred to PNG as a nation of cannibals.
Although Papua New Guinea has a history of cannibalism in remote areas, it has been working to move away from this stereotype, considering it outdated.
The White House did not provide further comment on Biden’s statements made in Scranton, Pennsylvania. However, a spokesperson mentioned that the US President is proud of his uncle’s service in uniform.
Official records confirm that Ambrose J Finnegan was aboard a plane that crashed in the Pacific on May 14, 1944. The aircraft went down off the north coast of New Guinea, part of which is now Papua New Guinea. Finnegan’s remains have never been recovered.
Questions have been raised about Biden’s age, with concerns about his memory and mental acuity at 81. Biden has denied any issues and rejected claims of struggling to recall important events.
His political rival, Donald Trump, who is four years younger, has also faced criticism regarding his fitness for re-election. Trump recently made headlines for inaccuracies in his recounting of US military history.
