Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel’s kin wants reward

A NORTHERN man has raised concern about all the hype surrounding the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels saying no tangible benefits are being seen and felt by the real descendants of the war heroes.
Nathaniel Ani, 59, a nephew of the famous Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel Raphael Oimbari, said it was time the PNG and Australian governments did something to rectify this situation.
He said Oimbari was from Hanau village along the Northern coast.
“Since World War 2 ended 65 years ago, all we hear about is Kokoda being developed and thousands of Australian dollars being pumped into building memorials, schools and aid posts in Kokoda,” Ani said.
“But in actual fact the Kokoda people did not do anything during the war, it was people from the coastal areas that were enlisted to be war carriers,
“The Kokoda people are inland, bush people. They had no idea what was going on along the coast during the war.
“It was the people along the coastal areas of Popondetta, Daru, Kerema and Milne Bay who were enlisted as war carriers and laid down their lives to save Australian soldiers.
“It is only because the war track goes through Kokoda that the people living along and around the track are getting the praise and enjoying the benefits today.”
He said that Oimbari’s four children and his village had not benefitted from the millions that the Australian government had given over the years.
Ani would take his complaints to the highest authorities in PNG and Australia to address this.