Namru 2 Accused of Carrying Out Intelligence Activities
Thursday, 24 April, 2008 | 16:50 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (Mer-C) and Strategic Research Institute An-Nashar Institute accused the US Navy Laboratory Naval Medical Research Unit 2 (Namru 2) of carrying out intelligence surveillance activities because of its secrecy.

There were indications, said Munarman from the An-Nashar Institute, that the laboratory was very restricted and that the researchers had diplomatic immunity.

In fact, the laboratory was used to study such very hazardous pandemic diseases as malaria, TB and bird flu.

“It was not only a laboratory but an intelligence agency,” he said when Tempo contacted yesterday (4/23).

The laboratory began operating to run since a memorandum of understanding was signed by Health Minister Professor G.A. Siwabessy and US Ambassador Francis Galbraith on January 16, 1970.

On January 28, 2000, Indonesia broke the partnership because it was considered injurious.

However, up until today, Namru 2 is still running.

Munarman said that when a conference was being held in his office, five staff members from the US Embassy came and distributed releases on Namru.

An official at the US Embassy denied the report.

he military's involvement in the medical research, said the anonymous official, had a long history.

It was commenced in 1853 as the US Congress built a Navy Medical Research in Brooklyn, New York.

Namru 2 was part of the facilities and was one of five laboratories in the United States, Thailand, Egypt, Kenya and Peru, researching tropical diseases.

“Namru 2 worked transparently and only conducted medical researches on natural tropical diseases,” he said in a letter that Tempo received.

Out of a total of 175 personnel, there are only 19 US Staff.

“The members of staff from Indonesia are the ones that helped Namru 2 succeed.”

Reh Atemalem | Aqida Swamurti | Dianing Sari