Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape accused Joe Biden of disparaging the South Pacific island nation by suggesting that an uncle of the US president had been eaten by “cannibals” there during World War II.
Biden’s comments offended a key strategic ally China seeks to increase its influence in the region.
The president spoke at a war memorial in Pennsylvania last week about his Army Air Corps aviator uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., who he said was shot down over Papua New Guinea, which was a theater of intense fighting.
“They never found the body because there used to be – there were a lot of real cannibals in that part of New Guinea,” Biden said, referring to the country’s main island.
Marape said in a statement Sunday that Biden “seemed to imply that his uncle was eaten by cannibals.”
“President Biden’s comments may have been a slip, however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such,” Marape said in a statement provided by his office to The Associated Press on Monday.
“World War II was not the doing of my people; however, they were unnecessarily dragged into a conflict that was not their doing,” Marape added.
The breakup comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began a visit to Papua New Guinea, Australia’s closest neighbor, on Monday. Albanese and Marape will commemorate the strong defensive ties between the two countries by walking part of a crucial battlefield known as the Kokoda Track later this week.
“I am very confident that PNG does not have a stronger partner than Australia and our defense and security ties have never been stronger,” Albanese told reporters before departing Australia.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Biden was speaking of the bravery of his uncle and the many American service members who risked their lives.
“He takes this very seriously. His uncle, who served and protected this country, lost his life serving. And that should matter,” he said.
Biden’s account that Finnegan’s plane was shot down was not supported by military records. Finnegan was a passenger on a Douglas A-20 Havoc transport plane that crashed into the ocean after both engines failed on May 14, 1944, according to a Pentagon report.
One crew member survived, but no trace of the plane or the other three people on board, including Finnegan, was found.
Marape’s statement was released on the same day he met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Port Moresby to discuss building closer relations.
Marape also called on the United States to find out he was dead in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and clean up the remains of war.
“Wreckage from World War II lies scattered across PNG, including the plane carrying 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 United States to find as many World War II remains in PNG as possible, including those of servicemen who lost their lives like Ambrose,” he said.
“The war theaters in PNG and the Solomon Islands are many and filled with remains from the Second World War, including human remains, aircraft and ship wreckage, tunnels and bombs. Our people live daily in fear of dying from the detonated bombs from World War II,” Marapé added.