Papua New Guinea prime minister slams Biden's 'cannibal' remarks

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape has expressed dismay over President Biden's recent suggestion that his uncle was eaten by cannibals in the Pacific nation during World War II. In a statement on Monday, Marape said he was offended by the remarks, which he called undeserved labeling of his country.

"President Biden's remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such," the prime minister said. He noted that Papua New Guinea was unwillingly drawn into the global conflict of WWII in the 1940s, Fox News report.

Biden made the comments last week while recounting the story of his late uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., whose plane was gunned down in Papua New Guinea. The president said Finnegan's body was never recovered, pointing to "a lot of cannibals" in that region.

The remarks sparked backlash, to which the White House responded that Biden was having an "emotional moment" while honoring his uncle's sacrifice.

In his statement, Prime Minister Marape said the remnants of WWII, including plane wrecks like the one carrying Biden's uncle, are scattered across Papua New Guinea. He called on the U.S. to recover as many American remains from that era as possible.

"The remains of WWII lie scattered all over PNG, including the plane that carried President Biden's uncle," Marape said. "Perhaps, given President Biden's comments and the strong reaction from PNG and other parts of the world, it is time for the USA to find as many remains of World War II in PNG as possible."

The prime minister added that Papua New Guineans still live in fear of unexploded bombs and other hazards from the 20th-century war that litter the nation.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Marape's criticism.