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Government urged to stop cooperation with Namru-2
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by uusjio | April 23, 2008 at 05:17 pm
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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 ...
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at 01:22 on December 4th, 2008
It is always a pity when deliberate and destructive misinformation is allowed to propagate without a response. The assertion that NAMRU-2 fails to provide a service or benefit to the people not only of Indonesia, but to all of the people of SE Asia is not only false, but displays a stunning ignorance. The following information sheet was copied from the US Embassy page and offers a limited but accurate summary about NAMRU-2. For those of you who are interested in truth and accuracy, the contributions of NAMRU-2 are often highlighted at international public health meetings such as the 'American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene' where the results of medical and scientific research are presented.
Fact Sheet: The Truth About NAMRU-2Bahasa 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.