NAMRU2 Issue

[Commonground]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Rabu, 23 April 2008 15:06 WIB
The government must take over Namru

The government in this case the Department of the Health was urged to take over the Naval Medical Research laboratory (Namru) the Unit 2.
The Namru program 2 that carried out the development of tropical diseases for the interests and the security of the naval member and United States marines (the USA) same was hoped for more was made function for the interests of the Indonesian people.
"We urged all the Namru activity 2 still proceeding although the agreement contract to end on December 31 2005 was stopped."
We also asked the government to extend or make the agreement new towards Namru laboratory persistence 2 in Indonesia, said the Presidium Medical Emergency Rescue Comitte (MER-C) Joserizal Jurnalis, in Jakarta, on Wednesday (23/4).
According to Joserizal, Namru 2 had the trial program including the malarial vaccine, dengue fever, and E hepatitis, including also developed breeding colony malarial mosquitoes and dengue fever.
"Namru 2 also established the field laboratory in Jayapura, Papua, that fakus developed the research about malarial mosquitoes," he explained.
With the Biosafety Level Laboratory 3 (BSL-3), said Joserizal, Namru 2 also developed the Rickettsia virus, the Japanese B Encephalitia virus, and the Hantaan virus.
"Before being forbidden to operate by the Department" of the "Health, Namru 2 could be involved with the bird flu virus (H5N1)," he reminded.

Beforehand, Health Minister Siti Fadilah that last week visited the Namru office 2 that was in the complex the Penelitian Dan Pengembangan Kesehatan Body office in Street Percetakan Negara 29, Jakarta, could menyinyalir the Namru possibility of 2 doing matters of the secret in the place that notabene was Department of Health assets.
"We did not forbid them to carry out the research if having the new co-operation," said Menkes at that time.
In the meantime, Chairman An Nasrh Institute and former Council Elder Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Munarman said, the Namru laboratory 2 has been in Indonesia since 1975 after the existence of the agreement between the RI Government and the US Government on January 16 1970.
For more than 30 years, continued he, Namru 2 were in Indonesia but did not have the transparency about their achievement.
"Namru have an attitude was closed, as a result, the benefit" of "their health research then was not felt by the community."
Warned by Namru 2 carried out the secret activity in the place that became the Department's assets of the RI Health, he explained.
More far Munarman said, in other sovereign countries, Namru 2 were not permitted to operate.
Moreover, continued he, Taiwan and the Philippines that pro-the USA did not leave Namru alone 2 free to operate like in Indonesia.
"Strangely, Indonesia as the sovereign country left the US Navy free to operate," he complained.

According to Munarman, Indonesia was really damaged against Namru 2 because in the agreement on January 16 1970 indeed was gotten by the very damaging matter.
For example, all the researcher and the staff Namru 2 that berwarganegara the USA was given by the ease and diplomatic immunity was proper for the diplomat.
All the researcher and the staff Namru 2 were also released from the tax and were provided the residence by the RI Government.
"Imagine all the facility was for their operational need released from the tax," he exclaimed.
Namru 2, said Munarman, violated the co-operation agreement.
His article, continued he, the co-operation agreement on January 16 2005 ended on December 31 2005.
"After the agreement ended, they were still carrying out the operation," tuding him.
Therefore, Munarman asked that the RI Government expelled the researchers, the staff, and the US Navy that menjalan the Namru project 2.
"This because of the Namru personnel 2 were expected strong undertook the damaging Indonesian intelligence activity," he stressed.

http://www.mediaindonesia.com/berita.asp?id=167511

[Commonground]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

On Tuesday, April 22 2008 18:48 WIB
The NAMRU matter, Wiranto Sarankan Government Accurate
Reporter: Markus Junianto Sihaloho

Jakarta -- noodles: Before deciding to accept the US proposal continued NAMRU permission 2, the Government better carry out the deep research about the NAMRU activity uptil now.
The "government tightly carried out a research, true that the research in accordance with the aim."
When afterwards the research deviated and without compromise, certainly the government punyha the right to ask, and if really true has deviated had the right to refuse, said former Menkopolkam Wiranto in Jakarta, on Tuesday (22/4).
"Meaning that while the father became Menkopolkam, Sir saw was tendency divert?"
Ask the reporter.
"I already did not have the capacity for that."
Please asked to the government, replied Wiranto.
He continued the NAMRU condition during the last ten years was under his supervision with at this time clear different.
Nevertheless he claimed since beforehand to be himself already cautioned the government to firmer to research research agencies.
"Anything his form, deviated from the aim originally from what once compromise, yes indeed must have the action," he stated.

http://www.mediaindonesia.com/berita.asp?id=167402

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

04/23/08

Indonesian naval officers must be involved in Namru-2 - Minister


Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian naval officers must be involved as supervisors in the activities of the US Naval Medical Research Unit 2 (Namru-2) in Indonesia, Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said.

"We want Indonesian naval officers to be involved in the activities of Namru-2," the minister said here on Wednesday.

The minister said Indonesia and the United States were still negotiating several points for the resumption of Namru-2 cooperation.

"The discussions are now focused on the United States request for diplomatic immunity for 20 Namru-2 staff members," the minister said.

He said Indonesia had refused to give diplomatic immunity to all 20 Namru-2 staff members and was prepared to grant it to only 2 of them.

"If we give diplomatic immunity to all of them, we are afraid we will not be able to control or know the things they do or take in the research activities," Juwono said.

He said Namru-2 activities were expected to be transparent and useful for both nations with the involvement of Indonesian naval officers and a restriction in the number of US staffers obtaining diplomatic immunity.

US Health Minister Michael O Levitt during a working visit in Indonesia recently asked the Indonesian government to give diplomatic immunity to Namru-2 staffers.

The US minister`s request was made in connection with a plan to extend Namru-2`s work contract in Indonesia after it expired in 2000.

When the bird flu broke out in Indonesia in June-July, 2005, the Namru-2 cooperation was continued. Namru-2 assisted Indonesia in research on avian influenza virus infection and helped the government send specimens of suspected patients to the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC)laboratory in Atlanta and the WHO collaboration laboratory in Hong Kong.

Namru-2`s contract with Indonesia expired on December 31, 2005 so that all activities with the laboratories were stopped on January 1, 2006. (*)

http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/4/23/indonesian-naval-officers-must-be-involved-in-namru-2--minister/

[cartski]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

NAMRU 2 background from the US DOD:

(I thought it was on a ship, ergo the search)

http://www.geis.fhp.osd.mil/GEIS/Training/namru-2asp.asp

____________




U. S. Naval Medical Research Unit No.2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FACILITY NAME:
U. S. Naval Medical Research Unit No.2 (NAMRU-2)
Box 3 Unit 8132
FPO AP 96520-8132

CIVILIAN ADDRESS:
Kompleks P2MPLP/Litangkes
JL. Percepakan Negara No. 29
Jakata Pusat Indonesia
Tel: 011 62-21-424-4463
Fax: 011-62-21-425-4507

WEB SITES:

http://www.nhrc.navy.mil/geis/sites/namru2.htm

BRIEF FACILITY HISTORY:
The first NAMRU-2 was established in cooperation with the Rockefeller Institute as a research facility on Guam, during World War II. Its primary mission was to study infectious diseases of military significance in Asia. In 1955, NAMRU-2 was moved to Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, where infectious disease research was conducted for the next 24 years. During the Vietnam conflict, NAMRU-2 Taipei was established not only for operational support in southeast Asia, but also to expand its research frontier. In 1968, discussions were initiated with the Indonesian Ministry of Health (MoH) to establish a Jakarta Detachment of the main facility in Taipei. As a result, NAMRU-2 Detachment, Jakarta, was established in Indonesia in 1970 to investigate infectious diseases of military importance both for the U.S. Navy and the rest of the Department of Defense. In 1979, U.S. diplomatic recognition of the Peoples Republic of China resulted in the relocation of the NAMRU-2 Command from Taiwan to Manila, Republic of Philippines. In 1990, with the political turmoil in the Philippines and potential threat against U.S. personnel, it was deemed prudent to again move the Command because of the desire to reduce U.S. presence in Manila. The U.S. Department of the Navy negotiated with the U. S. Department of State and the Government of Indonesia to transfer the parent unit to Jakarta, Indonesia. Furthermore, NAMRU-2 conducts disease threat assessments for U.S. military personnel deployed to Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and has established collaborative research projects with the local health authorities in these countries. NAMRU-2 also participates in a number of U.S. military exercises such as Cobra Gold, Tandem Thrust and CARAT Cruise. Lastly, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated NAMRU-2 the WHO Collaborating Center for Emerging Diseases for Southeast Asia.

ASSETS:
NAMRU-2 Jakarta is located in 62K square feet of laboratory, office and storage spaces in three buildings within the Indonesian MoH, National Institutes of Health (Badan LITBANGKES) compound. The facilities are well equipped and the animal facility is accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC). Included is the 2,400 square foot BL3 laboratory that was recently relocated from the U.S. Army medical research facility in Korea. In addition to the Jakarta facility, a relatively modern, well-equipped research facility of 4,500 square feet is located in Jayapura, Irian Jaya. Current staffing is 21 Americans and 120 Indonesians.

DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT EMERGING DISEASE ACTIVITIES:
NAMRU-2 has developed sentinel surveillance/networking sites within southeast Asia, a generic infectious disease outbreak rapid response team, and Standard Operating Procedures at NAMRU-2 and each networking site. It has also conducted local, national, and international workshops designed to train local, national and regional principal investigators of networking sites in surveillance methodologies and rapid response capabilities.

Click here to read about NAMRU-2's support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) infectious disease outbreak website.

ASEAN infectious disease outbreak website (allow extra time for site to load)






The official web site of the U. S. Department of Defense
Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System
? Questions or Comment?: Contact the GEIS Webmaster ?

[Commonground]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

On Wednesday, April 23 2008 22:11 WIB
Hatta Clarification of the Namru Matter to Menkes

Jakarta: Minister Sekretaris Hatta Rajasa admitted, his meeting with Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari in his office was to clarify the Namru matter.
"I already direct clarification with Ms Menkes related the reporting" of the "Namru matter (the research agency concerning the tropical disease belonging to the United States navy available in Indonesia)."

Ms Menkes said that was untrue, said Hatta in the Sekretariat Building of the Country on Wednesday night (23/4).

The Namru problem became warmer when former Director YLBHI Munarman said that the Spokesperson the Dino Patti Djalal Presidency was the foreign agency that protected Namru.

Munarman said, his source was Siti Fadilah Supari.
"The accusation was too tendentious," said Hatta.
He explained, the Health Minister stated Dino Patti Djalal in no way had his relations with Namru.
He admitted, himself has also met Dino and the president's spokesman then regretted on the reporting of the negative against himself that.
"So already clear."
Not there is that, exclaimed Hatta.
The meeting between Siti Fadilah and Hatta Rajasa was begun struck 19,00 WIB and took place for 20 minutes.
Siti Fadillah after the meeting refused to comment concerning discussions in the meeting.
But, Hatta admitted that the Siti Fadilah arrival was voluntary when being asked by the Namru matter.
"When I asked the Namru matter and the reporting that happened, he said will come here."
Yes was still meeting, said Hatta.

http://www.mediaindonesia.com/berita.asp?id=167590

[Shiloh]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Source: http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/...-with-namru-2/

04/24/08 00:58
Government urged to stop cooperation with Namru-2


Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government of Indonesia has been urged not to extend its cooperation with the US Naval Medical Research Institute, Unit No 2 (Namru-2).

The appeal was voiced by the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) and An Nashr Institute in a statement signed by MER-C Presidium Chairman Joserizal Jurnalis and An Nashr Institute`s Chairman Munarman.

In the release, made avalable to Antara here on Wednesday, MER-C and An Nashr also called for the deportation of US Naval staff and personnel of NAMRU-2 in Jakarta.

The call was made in view of the presence of NAMRU-2 in Indonesia over 30 years now, which failed to benefit the people of this world largest archipelagic country.

An agreement between the Indonesian and US governments on NAMRU-2 operations reached on January 16, 1970, was believed to have caused a loss to Indonesia because of the diplomatic immunity of the NAMRU-2 staff members, their tax exemption and free accommodation.

NAMRU-2 was also believed to have violated the cooperation agreement, because of their continued research work even that the contract had expired.

In addition, NAMRU-2 was also reported not transparent in their information for the Indonesian government and that their operations were allegedly linked to US intelligence operations in Indonesia.

In the meantime, the US embassy in Jakarta said that NAMRU-2 was a transparant organization which only conducted medical and scientific research work focusing on tropical diseases.

The biomedical research laboratory of NAMRU-2, according to the US embassy, conducted a series of research work on infectious diseases to serve the interest of the US and Indonesian health ministry as well as of the health of the international community.

The search work was more focused on malaria, virus-related diseases and other infectious diseases including bird flu. (*)

COPYRIGHT ? 2008

[Treyfish]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 width="99%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="84%">U.S. EMBASSY
FACT SHEET

</TD><TD width="18%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="82%"> </TD><TD width="20%">

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

April 23, 2008

Fact Sheet: The Truth About NAMRU-2

Bahasa Indonesia

What is NAMRU-2?
Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 (NAMRU-2) is a biomedical research laboratory that studies infectious diseases of mutual interest to the United States, the Indonesian Ministry of Health, and the international public health community. NAMRU-2 was established in Jakarta in 1970 upon the invitation of Indonesian Ministry of Health officials.
What is the scope of NAMRU-2?s work in Indonesia?
These shared research interests focus on malaria, viral diseases including dengue fever, enteric infections leading to diarrhea, and other emerging infectious diseases, including avian influenza. NAMRU-2 studies only relate to naturally-occurring tropical diseases.
Why is NAMRU-2 a military facility?
The United States military, and especially its Navy, has a long history of medical research. This began in 1853, when the U.S. Congress created the first Naval Medical Research facility in Brooklyn, New York. NAMRU-2 is part of that tradition, and one of five U.S. overseas tropical disease research laboratories. The others are located in Thailand, Egypt, Kenya and Peru. The U.S. Government does not profit from the operation of NAMRU-2, and in fact, much of its research focuses on research considered ?unprofitable? by private medical research facilities.
Is NAMRU-2 a secret facility?
Is NAMRU-2 doing intelligence work? No. NAMRU-2?s facilities are always open to all visitors who share their interests, and welcomes scientists and physicians from Government of Indonesia laboratories, from the military, and from universities. It is an entirely transparent organization, and conducts only medical and scientific research, focusing on naturally-occurring tropical diseases.
Who works at NAMRU-2?
NAMRU-2 is staffed almost entirely by Indonesian scientists, doctors, veterinarians, technologists and administrative personnel. Out of approximately 175 staff members, only 19 are Americans. It is NAMRU-2?s Indonesian staff that makes it a success.
Who directs NAMRU-2?s activities in Indonesia?
All NAMRU-2 projects are approved by the National Institute of Health Research and Development (Badan LITBANGKES). NAMRU-2 conducts all its studies in partnership with our Indonesian colleagues, and never operates alone. NAMRU-2 is part of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. NAMRU-2 falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Embassy.
What has NAMRU-2 done for Indonesia?
? They continuously provide essential training in fundamental laboratory techniques to hundreds of
Indonesian health workers and researchers.
? They have trained over 50 Indonesian scientists in the laboratory cultivation of malaria parasites
and in sophisticated disease detection methods.
? They train 30 Indonesian university students each year in virology and bacteriology techniques.
? They demonstrated that primaquine prevents malaria, thereby making this common and affordable
drug useful to Indonesians who travel to high-risk areas.
? They led a $4 million effort against a malaria epidemic in Central Java; annual malaria cases
decreased from 70,000 to fewer than 4,000.
? They provided training, advanced testing, supplies and epidemiology support to the Ministry of
Health to characterize recent dengue outbreaks in Palembang, Bandung, Jakarta, Yogyakarta and
Medan.
? Provides job for over 150 Indonesians.
? They donated a fully furnished research laboratory in Jayapura, Papua, to LITBANGKES. http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/press_r...eetNAMRU2.html

[sharon sanders]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta:

Health Minister Siti Fadhilah Supari insincere gave the sample of the bird flu virus to Naval Medical Research Unit (Namru) belonging to the United States Navy.

"The USA and the Kesehatan Body" of the "World (WHO) took the profit from the sample," said Menkes in Jakarta, on Wednesday (23/4).

The Indonesian co-operation and Namru in fact has been established since 1970.

The government entrusted the agency to detect quickly the cause virus of infectious diseases and the method overcame him in the Motherland.

However especially the virus H5NI the government reluctantly was opened.

According to Menkes, the use of the bird flu virus was not transparent.

While the vaccine that was produced afterwards was sold with the expensive price to the country that needed.

Menkes firm said will not give the example of the virus avian influenza before being benefit sharing clear in material the transfer agreement that was discussed.

In the place was separated, Menkes USA Michael Leavitt denied the Siti Fadhilah accusation.

According to Leavitt, the USA worked transparently processed the virus H5N1 to produce the bird flu vaccine.

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta: Menteri Kesehatan Siti Fadhilah Supari tak ikhlas memberikan sampel virus flu burung ke Naval Medical Research Unit (Namru) milik Angkatan Laut Amerika Serikat. "AS dan Badan Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) mengambil keuntungan dari sampel itu," kata Menkes di Jakarta, Rabu (23/4).
Kerjasama Indonesia dan Namru sebenarnya sudah terjalin sejak 1970. Pemerintah mempercayakan lembaga itu untuk mendeteksi secara cepat virus penyebab penyakit menular dan cara mengatasinya di Tanah Air. Namun khusus virus H5NI pemerintah enggan membuka.
Menurut Menkes, penggunaan virus flu burung tak transparan. Sementara vaksin yang dihasilkan kemudian dijual dengan harga mahal kepada negara yang membutuhkan. Menkes tegas mengatakan tak akan memberikan contoh virus avian influenza sebelum ada benefit sharing jelas dalam material transfer agreement yang tengah dibahas.
Di tempat terpisah, Menkes AS Michael Leavitt membantah tudingan Siti Fadhilah. Menurut Leavitt, AS bekerja dengan transparan mengolah virus H5N1 untuk menghasilkan vaksin flu burung.(***)

http://www.metrotvnews.com/berita.asp?id=57768

[Nancy]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Indonesia offers U.S. lab immunity, wants transparency
Abdul Khalik , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 04/24/2008 12:26 AM |

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/04/23/indonesia-offers-us-lab-immunity-wants-transparency.html

Indonesia has agreed to grant diplomatic immunity to two senior officials of the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 (Namru-2) in Jakarta, but demanded transparency in the laboratory's operations.

Foreign Ministry director general for legal affairs and international treaties Eddy Pratomo said Wednesday the demands were made in a new MOU Indonesia submitted six months ago to Washington.

The past MOU for Namru-2, which is located at the Health Ministry's National Institute of Health Research and Development (Badan Litbangkes) on Jl. Percetakan Negara, East Jakarta, expired in 2005.

"Many elements within the old MOU were against us, and not giving us enough benefits. That's why we came up with a new MOU proposal. Now, it's the U.S. that should decide," Eddy told The Jakarta Post.

He said Indonesia was willing to provide diplomatic facilities, including immunity, only to two Americans assigned to the laboratory.

The two could be its director and deputy director because they could serve as diplomats while heading the laboratory, he added.

The laboratory is made up of approximately 175 staff members including 19 Americans, according to the U.S. Embassy.

The United States has demanded all its citizens in the laboratory be granted diplomatic immunity.

"Namru-2 is part of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. Namru-2 falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Embassy," the embassy said in a statement.

During a visit to Jakarta last week, U.S. Health Secretary Michael Leavitt asked for diplomatic immunity for all Americans working at the laboratory.

Indonesia, Eddy said, wanted the laboratory to promote "full transparency" in its operations, including giving Indonesian officials and researchers access to both the center and the results of its activities.

Several Indonesian high-ranking officials have accused Namru-2 of being not transparent, raising speculations it was used by the United States for intelligence activities in the country.

The Defense Ministry said the laboratory lacked transparency and made it difficult for even a minister to visit.

Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono was quoted by detik.com as saying Wednesday there was no guarantee that such a laboratory was used for intelligence activities.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari stopped the sending of virus samples to the laboratory early this month, saying Namru-2 had to share its research results with Indonesia and other developing countries so they could create their own vaccines and medicine.

Unless the United States agreed with the material transfer agreement (MTA), a WHO agreement to regulate both sender and receiver of virus samples, Indonesia would not resume sending samples to Namru-2, she added.

Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal, however, said the laboratory's operations had so far benefited both Indonesia and the United States.

He accused some officials of failing to see things clearly and rationally because they believed too much in conspiracy theories.

"We miss out on many benefits of cooperation only because some are suspicious of help coming from the U.S. or Britain. The President has said anything benefiting us should be continued," he told the Post.

[Commonground]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Excerpt:

Government Must Review Frequently Work Same By NAMRU-2

The government, must review the co-operation with Naval Medical Unit Research Two (Namru-2), the laboratory of the health research belonging to the Navy (marines) the United States (the USA).
The repeated co-operation must be carried out, to receive the mutually beneficial position.
The "existence" of "developing suspicions, in the security circle, must be clarified with the repeated survey" of the "co-operation," said the observer of Wawan Purwanto intelligence, when being contacted by the Indonesian Media, on Thursday (24/4).
According to Wawan, in the limited circle, namely the security or the military, the suspicion if Namru-2, carried out the spy's activity already since long ago.
In meetings was closed, good was in a meeting internal or close interdepartemen, busy was discussed by the matter of the status of this laboratory.
That raised the Indonesian suspicion of the intelligence circle, there were two matters.
Firstly, the diplomatic immunity request against 23 research staffs who come from marines AS. Padahal, usually kekekabalan diplomatic only was given to the Director and Deputy Director Riset.
Secondly, this laboratory reticence was also questioned.
Because, if indeed this laboratory only carried out the activities of the health research, must him that could be known and informed to the public.

more: http://www.mediaindonesia.com/berita.asp?id=167674

[Malcolm]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSJAK34334

Indonesia, U.S. wrangle over future of naval lab



Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:04am EDT

By Olivia Rondonuwu

JAKARTA, April 24 (Reuters) - An agreement to secure the future of a U.S. naval medical lab in Indonesia is being held up by disputes over diplomatic immunity for American staff as well as sharing of virus samples, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

The U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2, or NAMRU-2 for short, has been key to efforts to track bird flu in Indonesia, the country with the most human deaths from the H5N1 virus.

But a memorandum of understanding allowing the lab to operate in Jakarta expired two years ago and has not been renewed, appearing to become ensnared in a wider dispute by Indonesian health officials over sharing samples of H5N1 with the rest of the world.

"There's a section in the MoU ... that's not agreed yet," deputy U.S. ambassador for Indonesia John Heffern told a news conference. He declined to elaborate, but denied that it was related to payments for samples.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, who recently visited Indonesia, had said on Monday that Jakarta officials were seeking payments.

Heffern said the U.S. government also wanted diplomatic immunity for 19 Americans out of the roughly 170-staff at the lab, while Indonesia has only offered immunity to two staff.

Harry Purwanto, who was director for North and Central America at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry until this week, said disagreements also included the duration of the deal, whether the lab could receive sponsorship from pharmaceutical firms, transfer of technology and Indonesian access to classified research.

"It's absolutely not about the money," Purwanto said.

Indonesia said last month it would not fully share bird flu virus samples with the World Health Organisation until what it believes is a fairer new global mechanism is in place.

The WHO has said surveillance is key and has asked affected countries to share samples of the virus regularly. These shared samples can also be used to make experimental vaccines.

But Indonesia fears pharmaceutical company may use samples of Indonesian virus to make a highly profitable vaccine that might not even be available to Indonesians.

As well as Indonesia, NAMRU has four other labs in the world in Peru, Kenya, Thailand and Egypt. (Editing by Ed Davies)

[cartski]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

http://www.reuters.com/article/lates...s/idUSJAK34334
[b][i][u]

Harry Purwanto, who was director for North and Central America at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry until this week, said disagreements also included the duration of the deal, whether the lab could receive sponsorship from pharmaceutical firms, transfer of technology and Indonesian access to classified research.

So here may be the reall basis for Indonesia's posistion - sponsorship.

As well, there's a very good review of diplomatic immunity on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity

Which makes one wonder from which local laws Namru would want to be excluded ?

J.

[Ningtyas]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

NAMRU-2’s facilities are always open to all visitors who share their interests, and welcomes scientists and physicians from Government of Indonesia laboratories, from the military, and from universities. It is an entirely transparent organization, and conducts only medical and scientific research, focusing on naturally-occurring tropical diseases.

Uh, really? Always open?
Only you said this, while all of Indonesian figures who comment on this issue said otherwise. Even our Health Minister was almost denied entry, its a known fact!

Here in Indonesia there's a growing pressure to the govt to close this facility. And the govt really need to deal with this issue carefully. This issue can be one of the deciding factors in our 2009 General Election.

[Snowy Owl]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Thank you for your kind response,

...and sorry I did not remember the 2009 Indonesian election.

I stubbornly believe that a solution will be reach.

Hang around

Snowy

[sharon sanders]

Re: NAMRU banned from Indonesia

Thank you, for the welcome, and I am sorry for such a rude entry tou your forum. This issue has become a hot controversy in my country, and when I search on the topic the internet I found this forum so I register just for this issue.
As for 2009 election in my post, I refer it to Indonesia's General Election and Presidential Election in 2009, not at all about the US's election. (I do not think this issue matters to them as much as it matters to us).
But one thing is clear, Indonesians will not agree that our govt should grant diplomatic immunity to all the US staff of the facility.


btw, some development in the issue :

http://www.eramuslim.com/berita/nas/8424111933-deplu-ri-mou-namru-2-tidak-ditanggapi-as.htm

summary : according to the spokeman of our Foreign Ministry Kristianto Legowo, Indonesia has offer a new draft of new MoU about NAMRU-2, but so far there's no response from the US' side. So we will have to wait the response of the US side on NAMRU-2 future in Indonesia.

It is this kind of response from our govt that make many believe here that there will not be a decision from Indonesia's side on this matter until Indonesia 2009 election is over.

Welcome Ningtyas and thank you for participating.

We want to hear all sides of the issues.

Our only concern regarding Namru2 is the ability to have various diseases investigated in a WHO approved laboratory. This laboratory is already in place.

I understand the reluctance to have a laboratory, or other installation, that is the representation of a foreign government, in situ. It would not be my first choice either. But this is the situation that we have presently.

I hope all parties will expeditiously work to achieve an agreement.

We need to remember that we are all one people. Despite cultural, religious, and language differences we all want the same thing - a safe and peaceful world. We, as individuals, are subjected to the decisions of the various power elites in our countries. We, as a collective voice, can change the policies and procedures of our governments.

It starts with dialogue like this. One voice is joined by many.