Govt urged to shut down U.S. lab

Abdul Khalik ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 04/28/2008 11:40 AM  |  Headlines

Lawmakers have told the government to shut down the U.S. Namru-2 research lab in Jakarta if Washington continues to demand diplomatic immunity for all its researchers working there.

"Why should we give diplomatic immunity to a researcher? It doesn't make sense and is suspicious. If the U.S. keeps on pushing for diplomatic status for their researchers, then the government must terminate the lab's operation," Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said.

Andreas, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission I on defense, security and foreign affairs, said Indonesia had compromised its security by granting too many foreigners diplomatic immunity.

Indonesia and the United States are now negotiating a new memorandum of understanding to extend the operation of the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 (Namru-2) after the previous agreement expired in 2005.

Indonesia offered last week to grant diplomatic immunity to only two American officials at Namru-2 and demanded that the laboratory be more transparent in its operations.

In response, the United States through its embassy here has insisted that all 19 of its citizens at the laboratory be given diplomatic immunity. The United States also denied the lab was not transparent.

Earlier, lawmaker Mutammimul Ula of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) demanded the government stop the lab's operation and investigate allegations that it was used for intelligence activities.

Golkar lawmaker Harry Azhar Azis joined the call for the lab's closure, saying he had not seen its benefits for the Indonesian people.

"The MOU should be mutually beneficial and we can't accept an international agreement that can possibly damage us. We just have to be tough and say no if the U.S. pushes us," he said.

Political scientist Dewi Fortuna Anwar of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences underlined the importance of mutual benefits in a joint research lab, while questioning the motive of asking for diplomatic immunity for researchers.

"As a researcher, we don't need immunity status as we can be charged if we violate regulations, such as stealing data or plagiarism. Is the U.S. trying to protect their researchers from being charged for such illegal actions?" she said.

Rector of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Djoko Santoso said the government had to feel the benefits of a joint research lab.

"If not, what is the use of continuing such research?" he said.

Several Indonesian officials, including Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari and Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, have said the lab lacks transparency.

Juwono said Thursday the United States had rejected including Indonesian Military (TNI) scientists in the lab's operations. Siti said last Friday she would bring the Namru issue to the next Cabinet meeting and ask for support in terminating the lab's operation.

Former TNI chief Gen. Wiranto and former foreign minister Ali Alatas in 1999 asked then president BJ Habibie to stop the operations of Namru-2, saying it compromised Indonesian national security while offering little benefit to the country.

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