Experts warn of lack of rules on genetic engineering

JAKARTA (JP): Environmental experts warned on Tuesday that Indonesia lacked regulations and precautionary principles concerning the widespread promotion of genetic engineering technology.

A specialist on the global environment at the State Ministry of the Environment, Effendi Sumardja, and environmental expert Otto Soemarwoto noted that there must be strict regulation and precautionary measures put in place to protect consumers.

"Indonesia as a developing country is a potential market for such products and, therefore, we need strict regulation to protect our people," he said at a national seminar in Bandung, West Java.

The function of such regulation, he said, would be to control the production of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) so they will not be detrimental to people's health or damage the environment, including the country's biodiversity.

"Another benefit of such regulation would be that our country would gain a strong legal basis for taking action in respect of illegal GMOs and for refusing to issue licenses for the marketing of such products," Effendi said.

He added that it was also aimed at developing international cooperation to protect biodiversity.

Speaking at the same seminar, Otto Soemarwoto noted that while genetic engineering technology promised many benefits for mankind, the setting in place of precautionary measures was a must.

"Don't get too carried away by the overhyping of the benefits of this technology. Let's analyze the hype critically," he said.

According to Otto, most experts only read literature which accorded with their personal tastes. But they often disregarded the interests of consumers.

Otto pointed to the recent debate over transgenic technology, noting that the debate could serve to educate consumers about the dangers of such technology.

Transgenic technology is a method of creating higher quality crops and stock by inserting genes, sometimes from other species, in order to, for instance, protect the plants from pests or to resist a specific herbicide.

Despite assurances from scientists that the products are safe, some are dubious about their effects on health and the environment.

Otto said that the controversy over GMOs was not about agreeing or disagreeing with genetically-engineered products and their benefits, but over the precautions that were required.

"There is some uncertainty about the effects of the technology, therefore we should be careful about its impact in the future. Precautions against long-term risks are valid," he said.

Otto gave as an example the discovery of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas at the end of the 1920s, which was considered an ideal industrial chemical as it was nonpoisonous, stable, inert, noncorrosive, noninflammable and nonexplosive.

But in 1985, the Mina International Convention recognized that the gas was eating a hole in the ozone layer, and agreed to ban its usage. (hdn)