Joe Biden’s suggestion that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals in Papua New Guinea during World War II has been met with a mix of bewilderment and criticism in the country.
While campaigning in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Mr. Biden talked about his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., explaining that “Uncle Bosie” flew single-engine planes on reconnaissance flights during the war. “It was shot down in New Guinea,” Biden said, adding, “The reason their bodies were never found is because there used to be a lot of cannibals in that part of New Guinea.”
According to official war records, Finnegan was killed when the plane he was a passenger in experienced engine failure and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The records do not mention his cannibalism or mention that his plane was shot down.
Analysts in Papua New Guinea shown his comments said the claims were unfounded and poorly judged, saying the U.S. is strengthening ties with Papua New Guinea and countering Chinese influence in the Pacific region. He pointed out that these claims came out at a time when the government was trying to
“The Melanesian group, to which Papua New Guinea belongs, are a very proud people. And they would find this kind of classification very offensive. Someone might say, “Oh, there used to be cannibalism in PNG.” Not because I say so. Yes, we know that, it’s a fact.
“But take it out of context and your [uncle] “For some reason we think it’s good food, but that’s not acceptable,” said Michael Kabuni, a political science lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea.
Kabuni said cannibalism had been practiced in some communities in the past in certain circumstances, such as eating the bodies of deceased relatives as a mark of respect to prevent them from decomposing. “There was context. They don’t just eat white people that fall from the sky,” Kabuni said.
He further pointed out that this practice was not due to people’s lack of food, and that archaeological evidence shows that agriculture was practiced in Papua New Guinea more than 10,000 years ago.
Kabuni added that approximately 79,000 U.S. soldiers remain missing since World War II. “They range from Southeast Asia to the Korean peninsula to Europe. [Biden] Implied? Were all 79,000 that were not discovered eaten? ”
Others were simply confused by the statement. “I’m actually speechless,” said East Sepik Governor Alan Bird, who was recently chosen as the opposition’s replacement prime minister. “No offense. It’s really funny. I think Biden heard that from his parents when he was a kid, and it probably stayed with him throughout his life.” Sho.”
Mahoropa Rabeil, an economics lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea, said the claim was unhelpful, noting it came after Biden canceled a brief visit to the country last year. “Paints PNG in a bad light. There is already a lot of negative press in Papua New Guinea regarding riots and inter-tribal fighting, but this is not helpful. [the claims are] There is no basis,” he said.
“I don’t think the president of the United States should have said something like that, even out of the blue, especially after all the agreements they’ve signed with Papua New Guinea and the work they’ve done in the Pacific,” Mahoropa said. said.
Biden’s uncle died on May 14, 1944, as a passenger on an A-20 havoc aircraft that departed from Momote Airfield on Los Negros Island and headed for Nadzab Airfield in New Guinea, according to the Pentagon’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Office. did.
“For unknown reasons, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing off the northern coast of New Guinea,” the agency said in a statement. “Both engines failed at low altitude and the nose of the plane hit the water hard. Three men were unable to escape from the sinking ship and were lost in the crash. One crew member survived and was aboard a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the missing crew.
