Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea defended his country after President Joe Biden made comments implying that his uncle’s body was eaten by cannibals during World War II. Marape stated that Papua New Guinea does not deserve to be labeled in such a way and urged the United States to clean up the remnants of the conflict in the region. Biden’s remarks about cannibals were made in reference to his uncle, Army Air Corps aviator Ambrose J. Finnegan, who was shot down in New Guinea during the war. However, U.S. military records do not mention cannibalism, stating that Finnegan’s plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea and his body was never found.
The Asia-Pacific region was a major theater of heavy fighting during World War II, and the remains of bodies, plane wrecks, shipwrecks, tunnels, and bombs can still be found in Papua New Guinea and other countries in the region. Marape highlighted that residents live in daily fear of being killed by unexploded ordnance left over from the war. He emphasized that World War II was not the doing of the Papua New Guinean people, and they were unnecessarily dragged into a conflict that was not of their making. Many unsolved mysteries of the war still remain in the seas, mountains, and jungles of Papua New Guinea, and Marape called on President Biden to address the issue and clean up the remnants of WWII.
Marape urged President Biden to have the White House look into cleaning up the remains of WWII in Papua New Guinea so that the truth about missing servicemen like Ambrose Finnegan can be put to rest. Biden’s comments were seen as offensive to Papua New Guinea, a key U.S. strategic ally in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, as it competes for influence in the region with China, which already has a security pact with the neighboring Solomon Islands. The U.S. signed a security pact with Papua New Guinea last year as part of its efforts to strengthen relationships in the region.
President Biden’s comments about cannibals in Papua New Guinea have sparked controversy and prompted Prime Minister James Marape to defend his country and address the issue. Marape expressed the importance of acknowledging the contributions and sacrifices made by Papua New Guinea during World War II, while also highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the country due to the remnants of the conflict. He called on the United States to take responsibility and clean up the remnants of WWII in the region to ensure that the truth about missing servicemen can be uncovered and put to rest. Marape’s statement underscores the need for greater understanding and respect for the history and experiences of nations in the Asia-Pacific region.
