Papua New Guinea has been rocked by a recently surfaced ‘inhumane’ video showing a ‘cannibal mafia’ dangling severed body parts in front of a camera.
Images shared by the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, the nation’s most popular newspaper, show a gang of men brandishing machetes and holding up human remains.
The ‘cannibal mafia’ are seen posing for the camera while dangling a severed human foot in the centre of the photo.
In another ‘troubling’ video posted to social media around a month ago, several men armed with bows and arrows were seen showing off severed human remains, the newspaper said.
Peter Tsiamalili, Papua New Guinea’s Police Minister, said the alleged situation led to the ‘horrific acts of cannibalism.’
He told AFP: ‘A violent confrontation between two brothers escalated, leading to a heartbreaking outcome.
‘The conflict saw villagers take sides, ultimately resulting in the gruesome killing of the elder brother by the younger sibling.’
In another statement released on Sunday, Tsiamalili once again condemned the acts, saying: ‘Such barbarity does not define us as a people or a nation.
‘These barbaric actions by groups of youths not only shock our collective conscience but also pose a grave threat to the societal values that bind us as a nation.
‘Such acts of inhumanity are intolerable and represent a significant challenge to our shared humanity.’
Police have managed to trace the terrible images to the country’s jungle-clad Goilala district.
They are reportedly set to jet into the district to investigate a further seven killings which took place over the weekend.
Following the murders, one local reportedly claimed: ‘This is our meat, we will cook and eat it.’
Cannibalism has been associated with certain tribes in Papau New Guinea historically – something the country’s government has long worked to dispel.
Such an issue was only amplified when former US President Joe Biden speculated that his uncle, who disappeared during World War II, may have been a victim of cannibalism.
The practice has been described as a rare and largely historical practice in very isolated communities in the country.
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