UPDATED 03:46 am ET on 2023-05-12
Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister faces intense public backlash and calls for resignation after he branded critics of his daughter’s glitzy TikTok video of a taxpayer-funded trip to the UK monarch’s coronation as “primitive animals”.
The furore over comments by Australian Justin Tkatchenko, which were made to Australian state broadcaster ABC, is coming less than two weeks before US President Joe Biden’s stopover in Papua New Guinea to meet with the leaders of the island nations. from Pacific.
Tkatchenko’s adult daughter, Savannah, accompanied him to the coronation of King Charles III in London last week. He posted a video on TikTok of his luxury trip, drawing criticism in Papua New Guinea, where poverty is widespread.
In an interview with ABC on Wednesday about the social media attack, Tkatchenko said her daughter was “absolutely traumatized by these primitive animals.” And she added: “And I call them primitive animals because they are.”
The comments were perceived as racist in the Melanesian nation of more than 9 million people, where there was also anger over a local newspaper’s estimate of the cost of sending a large delegation to the coronation.
On Friday, Tkatchenko said he would step aside as foreign minister while the investigations are carried out. He repeated his apology from the day before when he said his comments were a reaction to internet trolls’ “horrifying threats of a sexual and violent nature” against his daughter and not directed at Papua Newans. Guinea. Premier James Marape said on Thursday that he had been offended by the primitive animals’ comment, but also urged the county to accept the apology and move on.
Savannah Tkatchenko’s video showed her enjoying luxury travel, accommodation and high-end stores like Hermes at the Singapore airport and doing her skincare routine on a flight to London.
“In fact, I have packed my whole life in these two big suitcases, I am very proud of myself because I have so much stuff,” she said while strolling through an airport.
“So I’m traveling with my dad and our first stop is Singapore and we checked into the first class lounge where we ate some cosmos and delicious food,” he said.
“Then we did some shopping at the Singapore airport at Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Those of you who don’t know, Singapore airport shopping is honestly so elitist.”
Calls for the foreign minister’s resignation have come from high-level politicians such as the opposition leader and organizations including the country’s Trades Union Congress.
“Justin deserves no mercy or forgiveness. He must be expelled from this country. Prime Minister James Marape must act immediately,” said PNG Trades Union Congress Acting General Secretary Anton Sekum.
Biden’s visit seeks to counter Chinese influence
The rancor over comments by a senior minister comes ahead of historic visits to Papua New Guinea later this month by Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Papua New Guinea, the most populous Pacific island country, is increasingly a focus of Sino-US rivalry in the region and a US push to counter Beijing’s influence.
Like other Pacific island nations, Papua New Guinea is trying to balance increased Chinese trade and investment and its traditional security relationships with countries like Australia and the United States.
Tkatchenko said earlier this month that he expects a defense cooperation agreement with the United States to be signed during Biden’s visit. Papua New Guinea is also working to complete a comprehensive security agreement with Australia.
China’s influence in the Pacific has flourished for several decades through increased trade, infrastructure investment and aid, as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and win allies in international institutions. Solomon Islands and Kiribati switched their diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 2019.
Beijing signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last year, alarming the United States and allies such as Australia, who fear it could pave the way for a Chinese military presence in the region.
Marape’s statement on Tkatchenko said that Papua New Guinea’s “national character” was being tested at a time when it would be in the spotlight due to visits by Biden and Modi.
“We must show the world that we can forgive those who offend us,” he said.
“This will be a momentous and historic occasion, one that should unite our nation, and we must not let this issue get in the way.”
BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service.
Updated story to note Tkatchenko stepping aside to allow investigation.
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