RI Moslem experts debate human genetic engineering<\/p>\n
By Riyadi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Should Indonesia apply genetic engineering
\ntechnology to human beings? This question is haunting Indonesian
\nMoslem scientists and a seminar on the subject here on Saturday
\nended inconclusively.<\/p>\n
Experts however agreed that Indonesia should move cautiously
\nin adopting the technology which has opened up new possibilities
\non such fields as human genetic stocks, sex pre-selection, extra-
\nuterine existence of pre-embryonic forms and cloning.<\/p>\n
The seminar entitled "Genetic Engendering Technology and The
\nFuture of Human Being: Islamic Perspective and Gender Analysis"
\nwas jointly organized by the Muthahhari Foundation and the
\nInstitute for the Religion and Philosophy Studies.<\/p>\n
Quraish Shihab, rector of the Sharif Hidayatullah
\nIslamic Institute in Jakarta, said there are still disagreements
\namong Moslem scientists on some of the basic issues such as how
\nlong can germ cells be stored.<\/p>\n
If scholars cannot answer the basic questions of genetic
\nengineering then they should not apply the technology because
\nthey would not be able to deal with problems which may follow.<\/p>\n
Quraish however stressed that Indonesia should not shun
\nscience and technology, including genetic engineering, if they
\ncan enhance the welfare of its people.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that religious teachings are not against human
\nbeings intervening or participating in nature, citing sexual
\nintercourse as one form of intervention in the process of
\ncreation.<\/p>\n
Quraish, who won a doctorate degree from the Al Azhar
\nUniversity in Cairo for his studies on Holy Koran, cited a
\nKoranic verse which deals with human creation, in which God
\naddresses Himself as "We".<\/p>\n
"From my humane knowledge, I found out that when Allah address
\nHimself as We, not I, then there is an indication of
\ninterventions, which can come from human beings," he said.<\/p>\n
Munawar Ahmad Anees, editor-in chief of the Malaysian Islamic
\nscientific journal Periodica Islamica, said genetic engineering
\nis permissible in Islam as long as it fulfills clinical
\nconditions.<\/p>\n
He suggested that Moslem biologists pay more attention to
\nbioethics -- etymologically derived from biology and ethics --
\nbefore conducting researches on human genetic engineering.<\/p>\n
Jalalludin Rachmat, who is studying for his doctorate degree
\nin Australia, proposed a code of ethics for scientists on the
\napplication of genetic engineering to prevent them from going
\nbeyond the limits of human authority and entering the boundary of
\nGod's jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
"I think everything should have its limits. Freedom without
\nlimits is anarchy," Jalalludin said.<\/p>\n
Teuku Jacob of the Medicine Faculty at Yogyakarta-based Gajah
\nMada University seconded the proposal and suggested that the
\ngovernment exercise control on the application of genetic
\nengineering.<\/p>\n
"Technology without ethics will be wild, destructive and
\nleading evolution to no where," he said..<\/p>\n
Pratiwi Sudharmono of the Agency for Assessment and
\nApplication of Technology (BPPT) said the government supervises
\nthe activities of medical engineering through the National
\nCommittee for the Development of Indonesian Biotechnology, which
\nis under the ministry of research and technology.<\/p>\n
Pratiwi, who is a lecturer at the Medicine Faculty at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia, noted that actually genetic engineering
\nis a natural phenomena.<\/p>\n
It happened in nature, long before human being involved in the
\nengineering. Now it is growing faster, after mankind has begun to
\nintervene for such purposes as producing hybrids in farming and
\nlivestock, she said.<\/p>\n
Only recently has this technology been applied to human
\nbeings, and scientists have made great strides in terms of human
\ngenetic engineering, such as in cloning -- the copying of human
\nmaterial through the copying of their genes.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, research in human genetic engineering are
\nlimited for medical reasons, not for producing "super people",
\nPratiwi said.<\/p>\n
Marwah Daud Ibrahim, BPPT's mass communication expert, said
\npeople tend to be startled by the technological advancement.<\/p>\n
"Why are we easily astonished and often startled by the
\nadvancement of technology recently? It's because the paradigm
\nbehind it is still full of limitations. Besides, it could not yet
\nbring us to the essence of our humanity," Marwah said.<\/p>\n
She said there are four main causes for the limitations in the
\nparadigm of genetic engineering technology.<\/p>\n
First, people tend to be more and more specialistic in their
\nexpertise. Second, the technology is developed through
\nsecularistic reasoning. Third, scientists have wrong perception
\ntowards nature; they hunger to conquer it. And last, male-
\noriented belief prevails, victimizing women in the advancement of
\ngenetic engineering as they treated as research objects.<\/p>\n
Marwah proposed that specialists should take a more holistic
\nview in their research, incorporate religious values, treat
\nnature as a trust from God and believe in gender equality.<\/p>\n
Any science should respect religious teachings and be able to
\nstrengthen the followers' belief in their religion, she said.<\/p>",
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