Hela delegates seeks apology from US group

SOME members of the Hela Gimbu Association (HGA) are preparing to leave for the United States to seek a verbal apology from the Tea Party Group (TPG).
HGA spokesman Yalirima Arabagali announced this at a small reception in Port Moreby last week.
The HGA wants the TPG to apologise for labelling US president Barack Obama as an African witch doctor but portraying him as a “Huli wigman” during the debate on the health reform bills.
“We applaud president Obama’s success in passing the health reform bills.
“Our image has been tarnished; we have been humiliated before the whole world, caught in the politics of the most powerful nation on earth.
“We are only protesting against the TPG for tarnishing our sacred Huli wigman’s image. “This is our cultural heritage, the world must know that the Huli wigman is unique and a cultural treasure and not an African witch doctor as depicted,” he added.
In collaboration with the Minister of Culture and Tourism Charles Abel, HGA is making plans to go to Washington with the original “Huli wigman” from the controversial picture.
HGA had also prepared a petition to present to TPG, asking for a verbal apology which it hoped would be aired globally.