Scholars urge biosafety precautions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Scholars questioned yesterday whether Indonesia
\nwas ready to face the repercussions of an oncoming era of genetic
\nengineering, distant though the prospect may seem.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot exclude ourselves from it, but we can prepare for
\nthe unknown by taking precautionary action,\" said Hari Hartiko
\nfrom the office of the State Minister of Environment.<\/p>\n
Addressing the second day of a three-day conference on
\n\"Observing Indonesia's Sustainable Development Facing the 21st
\nCentury\", Hari called for the establishment of laws to regulate
\ngenetic engineering activities, and a national commission to
\noversee it.<\/p>\n
There are sharply differing opinions about genetically
\nengineering crops for specific qualities.<\/p>\n
The international community is drafting a biosafety protocol
\nto set guidelines for resource utilization. Developed countries
\nin the North generally have the technology to study and exploit
\nthe developing countries' biodiverse wealth in the South.<\/p>\n
Since genetic engineering began in the 1970s, around 2,053
\nGenetically Modified Organisms (GMO) have been created and used
\neither for health or agricultural purposes.<\/p>\n
No country in the world has established clear monitoring
\nguidelines for genetically engineered products. Scholars have
\nobserved that China was the most lax country while Germany
\ntightly monitored its genetically engineered products.<\/p>\n
The Fourth Convention on Biological Diversity's Conference of
\nthe Parties (COP) to be held in 1998 is expected to produce the
\nbiosafety protocol.<\/p>\n
\"On the outside, genetic engineering may seem to enrich
\nbiodiversity because it creates new organisms that even nature
\ncannot produce in such a short time. We should be cautious,
\nhowever, about the impact it may have,\" said Pratiwi Sudarmono, a
\nmicrobiology lecturer of University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"While there is vigorous activity in the pursuit of bio-
\ntechnological advancement, our government is not yet ready to
\ndeal with the problems,\" Pratiwi said in her paper. She added
\nthat ethical repercussions relating to scientists'
\nresponsibilities and consumer rights would also arise.<\/p>\n
Controversy abounds because a GMO's composition can only be
\ncontrolled as long as it remains in the laboratory. Its impact or
\nside effects on people or the environment may not be detected for
\ndecades.<\/p>\n
\"No one knows or is able to control its' (the organism's)
\ntransformation into who knows what,\" said Dwi Andreas Santosa
\nfrom the Bogor Institute of Agriculture.<\/p>\n
Hira Jhamtani of the Konphalindo environmental organization
\nsaid despite the controversy and hassle, there was no guarantee
\nthat genetic engineering would secure a country's agricultural
\nself-sufficiency.<\/p>\n
Soeryo Adiwibowo, a lecturer at the Bogor Institute of
\nAgriculture, said the so-called \"genetic revolution,\" \"green-
\nrevolution,\" and \"blue revolution\" all had a boomerang effect.
\n(06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/scholars-urge-biosafety-precautions-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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