# 3878
In what may signal a thawing of the decidedly chilly relationship between the Indonesian Health Ministry and the United States, we get word of a new research endeavor designed to take the place of NAMRU-2.
NAMRU-2 is the Naval Medical Research Unit (#2) based in Jakarta since 1970.
NAMRU has been embroiled in a 3-year battle with the Indonesian government, led by (now former) Health Minister Supari, who had claimed that the lab provides no benefit the Indonesian people and had suggested that its personnel engaged in espionage.
Most of this had been viewed by onlookers as little more than political theatre, but in September of last year Minister Supari essentially had the lab shut down.
See Clarification Of NAMRU-2's Status, and Indonesia Suspends US NAMRU Lab Operations.
Today (hat tip Dutchy on FluTrackers) we get word from the Jakarta Globe that a replacement civilian joint venture lab may be opened as a replacement for NAMRU.
There are still vocal political opponents to the plan according to this article, so this may not be a done deal. Still, this does suggest that some movement in the standoff between Indonesia and the Western world may be at hand.
Health Ministry To Reopen Namru
Last updated at 1:04 AM. Saturday 24 October 2009
New Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said on Friday that the controversial United States Naval Medical Research Unit-2 shut down by previous health minister Siti Fadillah Supari for alleged non-scientific activities, including espionage, would reopen with a new name and under civilian control.
Endang, speaking after the first meeting of the new cabinet, said the research unit, also known as Namru, had been shut down because of its military links, but civilian-to-civilian cooperation with the United States in the field of biomedical research would continue.
“The Namru military presence no longer exists,” Endang said, adding that the unit had been renamed the Indonesia-United States Center for Medical Research, or IUS.
Endang, a former researcher at the Ministry of Health, has not denied her close links to Namru, which Siti had accused of helping develop biological weapons.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates dismissed Siti’s claim during a visit to Jakarta last year as “the nuttiest idea I’ve ever heard.”
