'Witchdoctor Obama' infuriates PNG

29 Sep 2009, 2:42 pm   -   Source: AAP
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The image has upset PNG citizens and ignited a furious debate (AAP).

The image has upset PNG citizens and ignited a furious debate (AAP).

A lobby group has created a race row by super imposing an image of US President Barack Obama onto a photo of a PNG Highlander.   

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Papua New Guinea has become embroiled in an American race row after US President Barack Obama was depicted as a witchdoctor by opponents of his healthcare policy.

In the offending image, a headshot of Obama was superimposed on a photograph of a PNG Highlands region Huli wigman in full traditional costume, supposedly to portray the black president as an African witchdoctor.

A US organisation known as The Tea Party mocked up the image as part of their three-week series of protests across the US against controversial healthcare reforms.

Fierce debate over the image

The image has upset PNG citizens, particularly those living in the US, and ignited a furious debate online and in PNG newspapers.

Popular Detroit-based PNG blogger David Ketepa said the image was disgusting.

"Many Papua New Guineans living in the US and around the world are angered by the picture," he said.

David Ulg Ketepa blogged that media organisations have flooded his email inbox seeking interviews.

Questions over the purpose of the image

US news network CNN asked Tea Party member Joe Wierzbicki whether the image was racist or satirical.

"(It) says to me that a lot of people in this country are angry about the direction that the administration and Congress are taking us," he said.

Former US president Jimmy Carter described Republican Joe Wilson's outburst "you lie" during Obama's healthcare address to Congress earlier this month as the "aversion to have a black person as president".

Earlier this year, a US university student was arrested after putting up digitally altered posters of Obama as Batman comic villain the Joker.

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