PAPUA New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape called on Washington to stop insulting his country with racial stereotypes today, after US President Joe Biden insinuated his uncle had been eaten by cannibals there.

Mr Marape also said the US should help clean the wreckage of war, including unexploded bombs, from Papua New Guinea’s forests.

The US leader said last week that his uncle Ambrose Finnegan was shot down over Papua New Guinea in World War II.

“They never found the body because … there were a lot of cannibals for real in that part of New Guinea,” Mr Biden said.

Mr Marape said the president “appeared to imply his uncle was eaten by cannibals.

“My country does not deserve to be labelled as such.” He said his country had been “dragged into” the war, and “the remains lie scattered all over, including the plane that carried President Biden’s uncle. 

“It is time for the US to find as many remains as possible, including servicemen who lost their lives. Our people daily live with the fear of being killed by detonated bombs of WWII.”