Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Papua New Guinea’s leader has dismissed US President Joe Biden’s suggestion that his uncle may have fallen prey to cannibals in the Pacific nation during World War Two. Mr Biden said last week his relative had been shot down over the country, and his body never found as ‘there were a lot of cannibals’. US media pointed out that his comments were not backed up by official records. Papuan Prime Minister James Marape put it down to ‘loose’ talk. He said his American counterpart had had a ‘blurry moment’ and insisted the US-Papuan relationship was strong, and characterised by ‘deeper values’. Mr Marape said the pair had met several times, and ‘never in those moments (has) he spoke(n) of PNG as cannibals’. While the nation does have some history of cannibalism in remote areas, it has tried for years to shed the trope, which it views as outdated.” (04/22/24)