Foreign Affairs Minister Tkatchenko apologizes for labelling Papua New Guineans "Primitive and useless animals"
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Justin Tkatchenko has apologised to the people of Papua New Guinea for remarks he made on Australian Broadcasting Corporation. PM Marape said he was also offended by Tkatchenko’s remarks, labelling social media critics of his daughter as “primitive animals”, but had accepted the minister’s apology and asked all Papua New Guineans to do likewise and forgive him. PM Marape “We should not be labelling our citizens as ‘primitive animals’ even if they have wronged us” he said. “Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso and I summoned Minister Tkatchenko today to explain the circumstances behind the public outburst, especially against his use of the words ‘primitive animals’ on ABC. “DPM Rosso and I expressed concern about the use of these words, to which he responded that it was not directed at all Papua New Guineans, but a spur-of-moment response to social media attacks on his daughter. “Minister Tkatchenko apolog