WHO and U.S. conspiracy: Health Minister

Erwinda Maulia ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 03/16/2008 12:00 PM  |  Headlines

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari has accused the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States of conspiracy in the collection of bird flu virus samples and the production of vaccines.
The WHO collected H5N1 virus samples from developing countries like Indonesia and Vietnam, which suffer most from bird flu, but then collaborates with pharmaceutical firms in rich nations to produce expensive vaccines, Siti said here Saturday.
“I am not making up stories. I based my book on my own experiences. There is real evidences for this,” she said at a discussion of her newly released book Saatnya Dunia Berubah, Tangan Tuhan di balik Flu Burung (It’s Time for the World to Change, Divine Hands behind Bird Flu).
Her suspicions began when Indonesia was unable to buy Tamiflu (a trade name for Oseltamiviran — an antiviral drug used in the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza) which was “sold out to rich countries, and the WHO did nothing about it”, she said.
After sending bird flu samples to the WHO at no cost, Siti was offered bird flu vaccines (for sale) which used the Vietnamese H5N1 virus strain.
“And these vaccines were not produced in Vietnam. They knew nothing about it.
I thought the same thing could happen to Indonesia. They can make profits from our bird flu samples, while we must pay for expensive vaccines,” she said.
A similar thing occurred when the WHO offered her smallpox vaccines in 2005, she said.
“I told the WHO that their mechanism for collecting viruses from developing countries was very unfair. It’s the same way an imperialist country treats its colonies,” Siti added.
At the time, her statement made the United States angry, she said, and also prompted her suspicion over “a conspiracy between the WHO and the superpower country”.
Siti rejected diplomatic means to ease tensions that resulted between Indonesia and the WHO.
“Diplomacy, in the eyes of superpower nations, means ‘we must do as they want us to do’,” she said.
Siti was further angered over a finding that bird flu samples she sent were used exclusively by 15 scientists at the United States’ Los Alamos laboratory.
A senior biodefense researcher at the Defense Ministry, Isro Samiharjo, told
the audience the U.S. government used Los Alamos to develop biological weapons.
Isro supported Siti’s claims, saying the samples could be used to develop weapons, added that a similar scenario had taken place in the U.S. in the 1980s, when plant-hoppers had attacked a wide range of paddy fields and turned Indonesia into an importer of paddy seeds until now.
Isro said biological weapons could be used to make one country dependent on another, a condition he referred to as “covered imperialism”.
“There is evidently a conspiracy,” he said, discussing the United States’ involvement in the development of biological weapons.
With the inevitable development of such weapons, Isro said, Indonesia’s Defense Ministry, through its directorate for defense potential, had begun to focus on biodefense.
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The Reader (not verified) — Mon, 03/17/2008 - 12:28pm

SHe hit the nail right on the head.

M. Randolph Kruger (not verified) — Sun, 03/16/2008 - 11:18pm

Minister Supari's assertion that the US is building biological weapons at Los Alamos is a complete fabrication. Los Alamos has to have viruses of all types to create vaccines against them. Therefore vaccine production IS bioweapon research. The Cold War Russians tried to weaponize flu but failed because no one could prevent the mutation of the virus into a superbug that took all or most of us out. Therefore it makes no sense to weaponize something that is already natures weapon.

Supari's regime just released 16 virus samples with data to the WHO with the demand that if used to make vaccines, that RI would reap a monetary benefit. I have posted before...If a RI virus attacks my country, my family or anyone elses for that matter then the RI should be held accountable monetarily, and in criminal courts.

The RI has become a more free society across my 53 years but it has a long way to go. It still requires assistance constantly with health, infrastructure, and government. The numbers going into RI are staggering. 43 billion in 03, 29 billion 04-09 for everything from water sanitization, healthy mothers and babies, English education, civil engineering projects, legal aid and education, terrorism and about 800 million across the last few years for avian flu interdiction, education and eradication. Strange that Minister Supari was somewhat content to freely admit that 20% of that went to corruption. She had no problem with that particular matter, only that RI might be left in the cold for vaccines if bird flu came into the country in a highly pathogenic way. Indeed, she wants RI to be compensated. Please look at the above numbers for all of the other things that RI gets for free from other nations and that is without anything more than a request being made to the UN or directly to a country. Australia in particular is more than generous with their friends to the West in the RI. Minister Supari wants another check from which to take another 20%?

Just a few years ago bird flu entered the country. Seeing an opportunity RI, no it was more Minister Supari's when Australia received and made vaccines from a particular sample of Indonesian Bird Flu, was to cut all samples to them and the rest of the world and demand intellectual rights to a virus. Copyrighting a virus with royalties to be paid. She insisted that this virus was the property of the RI. If that be the case then the Chinese where the virus originated has claim. RI is infringing on their virus rights.

Is this a diversion of attention from other matters? By creating a flap it does divert attention from other matters. How about the Indon health system and corruption within? Are the Indons happy with it? Of course not. So to divert attention Tamiflu was the first issue she raised. No Tamiflu for RI! This was done with the assertion that all of those wealthy nations and pharmaceutical companies are witholding it from RI. This was and is NOT the case. Millions of doses were procured, sent to the old Clark Air Base in the Phillipines and stored there so as to be able to deliver them to any point in SE Asia if an outbreak occurred. This was to be an antiviral "blanket", to be thrown where and when needed. This was done in Pakistan just a few weeks ago and likely stopped a massive outbreak there. Remind yourself that this was given to Pakistan free of charge and without obligation. They are Muslims and the US is predominantly Christian. I didnt hear a word being breathed that "they are Muslims" like it was a disease from any public officials or the people of any country in the West. No, the materials were shipped and distributed to the Paki's without a bat of an eye. Just as they would be to Indon if it breaks out.

Did I forget the corruption thing again?

Minister Supari puts a lot of emphasis on Tamiflu. The latest studies indicate that Tamiflu might only be effective as a prophylactic rather than a cure and Minister Supari knows that. But back to diversion of attention. What is really going on in Indon?

If Bird Flu comes it will devastate the world. The Quran, the Bible, the Talmud all make reference to an "End of Days." I respect all religions and have knelt in mosques and bowed in a synagogue as a Christian to honor God in all manners. I also honor my friends of all faiths when doing so. The samples in question are taken from the dead, dying and few survivors of bird flu in Indonesia. Does anyone believe that we in the more affluent nations could ever sit back and do nothing? Hasnt been the case now has it?

The world responded to the tsunami. With bird flu the answer has to be proactive rather than reactive. RI has something that the world needs to have a fighting chance to get past this one. We have to have a working vaccine or one that can at least keep you alive while you are suffering from it to be able to fight this one off. Remind yourself that this is a horrific way to die and Indon might hold the key of prevention to it. No guarantees that they do.

If it came today you could stand up in a room and look around. 8 out of 10 would be gone. Minster Supari demands for monetary compensation literally will fall upon deaf ears if this horrendous disease attacks the world. It takes months and years to produce a working or prophylactic vaccine and she knows it. If bird flu comes, Indonesia and many other countries will cease to exist or will within a generation as this takes the young mostly. I wonder what money would be worth if there were no people around to spend it?

The RI and in particular Minster Supari should recognize what is about to happen and ship those samples off as fast as humanly possible. Minister Supari should in this one not act as a politician, but as a statesman of the world. She should be fighting to get this problem taken care of rather than writing inflammatory books. Failing this, the people of Indonesia really dont have to worry about anything. Nor shall anyone else for that matter as all things that we know as civilization under any religious belief will cease to exist. The choice is that of the RI. We might have a questionable chance if it is done. The outcome if its not is not in doubt.

The Reader (not verified) — Sun, 03/16/2008 - 8:35pm

Maybe the Health Minister should concentrate on issues closer to home, like ensuring that ANYONE going to the Emergency room gets proper treatment without bribery or that their main concern is patient welfare as opposed to making a fast buck

Mark Austin (not verified) — Sun, 03/16/2008 - 2:16pm

Freaks

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