Monday 22 April 2024
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has called on the United States of American (USA) to find as many remains of World War II in Papua New Guinea as possible, including those of servicemen who lost their lives.
The Prime Minister said this would mean finding the truth about how these US servicemen lost their lives in PNG during WWII.
He made the call today after US President, H.E. Joe Biden, appeared to imply his uncle was eaten by cannibals after his plane was shot down over PNG during WWII.
Prime Minister Marape said President Biden’s remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, he pointed to the fact that many unsolved mysteries of WWII remain in the seas, mountains, and jungles of PNG.
“President Biden’s remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such,” he said. “World War II was not the doing of my people; however, they were needlessly dragged into a conflict that was not their doing. “The remains of WWII lie scattered all over PNG, including the plane that carried President Biden’s uncle, Ambrose Finnegan.
“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, including those of servicemen who lost their lives like Ambrose Finnegan.
“The theaters of war in PNG and Solomon Islands are many, and littered with the remains of WWII including human remains, plane wrecks, ship wrecks, tunnels and bombs. Our people daily live with the fear of being killed by detonated bombs of WWII.
“I urge President Biden to get the White House to look into cleaning up these remains of WWII so the truth about missing servicemen like Ambrose Finnegan can be put to rest.”