Beware of medical technology abuse: Defense minister

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Edi Sudradjat warns Indonesia against potential abuse of medical technology as weapons for destruction.

Considering the rapid advancement in genetics engineering techniques, "it's possible that people might want to develop virus which can weaken the human resources of a nation," he told a workshop on abuse of medical technology here yesterday.

"Given the history of technology inventions which ended up as means for destruction, we are not exaggerating if we keep vigil over such development," he told some 200 participants.

"Remember the invention of atomic energy which resulted in the creation of atomic and nuclear bombs which can destroy the world within a blink of the eye," he said.

People start abusing technology to out-compete other groups of people when they no longer see it as mere means to enhance their life. Instead, they let technology become "an attitude" of life which controls them, he said.

As befitting competitions, people use technology for either defensive and offensive purposes, he said.

"The computer virus that people developed to destroy information system can be seen as an offensive measure," he said.

"All of the competing parties are aware that human resource is a nation's major power source, which is why we have to pay careful attention towards such offensive measures," he said.

The three-day workshop held in the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital explored the relation of security and defense affairs with biotechnology advancement.

Most speakers expressed the same concern over possible creation of new biological weapons which can be used against unprotected or partially protected powers.

Even the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) -- which leads to the killer Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) -- can be abused to launch attack against certain targets, according to a speaker.

Dr. R. Sjamsuhidajat, a professor at the University of Indonesia's Medical School, seconded Edi's warnings. He said there are three major players in the world competition today; namely those who hold the power of violence, those with the power of wealth, and the holders of power of knowledge.

"The first two power groups will definitely strive to use scientists and professional groups, as the holders of the power of knowledge, to achieve their ambitions," he said.

He linked abuse of technology, including biotechnology, with the first power group. "Researches on microbiology and virology, toxic materials and nuclear can be used for dangerous purposes," he said. "And if used in warfare, they will be able to destruct or annihilate a whole civilization."

The need for vigilance is even more marked considering the fact that Indonesia has yet to advance from its current status of technology consumer to technology producer, according to a speaker.

"Indonesia is still in the early stage of technology development, which means that it is only able to transfer and use existing technologies to produce services or goods which we have already known," according to Dr. M. Jusuf Hanafiah, rector of the University of North Sumatra.

"We have yet to reach the stage where we can create new things or services, much less new development of technology and medical sciences," he concluded.

Other speakers in yesterday's workshop were three experts from the United States, Dr. Ernest Takafuji, Dr. James Burans and Dr. Allen Richards, who discussed the growing concern among international military circles of possible use of biotechnology advancement as weapons in warfare.

"Biotechnology advancement has created a fresh concern for us, and that is the possible creation of new biological weapons," said Col. Takafuji of the Medical Corps. "The theoretical possibilities (for people to produce) new virulent factors has also created apprehension."

In 1972, Indonesia signed the International Biological Weapons Convention and ratified it in 1991. According to Isroil Samihardjo from the Ministry of Defense and Security, Indonesia's position in the convention has become even more significant due to its current leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement.

"As NAM representative, Indonesia should accommodate the interests of its member countries (who are wary of potential abuse of technology)," Isroil said. "On the other hand, various conventions of experts of biological weapons clearly revealed that it is often the interests of the developed countries which dominate such discourses." (swe)