Violence by state breeds violence in society'
Anil Datta
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Karachi
Violence by states breeds violence in society. In order to bring about civility and a society based on tolerance and democracy, the state has to set an example of tolerance for the masses to follow.
These views were expressed by noted intellectual, activist and former federal minister Javed Jabbar while speaking as chief guest at the launch of a book, "Wars, insurgencies, and terrorist attacks: a psycho-social perspective from the Muslim world", by Dr Unaiza Niaz.
Terrorism, he said, had a global dimension and was not just an invention of the Muslim world. In this context, he pointed to the violence that had become a hallmark of Northern Ireland till about a decade ago, South Africa and some others.
The book-launching ceremony was held on Wednesday evening at the Oxford University Press (OUP) head office.
Dealing with the pernicious phenomenon of terrorism, Jabbar pointed to the strong negative psychological impact violence had on the collective psyche of communities and nations, as also on individuals. He pointed out how lives were wrecked for good on account of violence, which people were subjected to as a result of wars, collective trauma resulting from mass displacement, and pestilence. In this connection he talked of the strong destructive impact of violence in Gaza, Kashmir, Afghanistan and the north of Pakistan, notably Swat.
He said that it was the preoccupation with retribution and revenge that was responsible for so much of violence the world over. In this context, he mentioned the use of a weapon of mass destruction, Agent Orange, by the US in Vietnam which had decimated Vietnam environmentally, but Vietnam had emerged as a prosperous nation from that trauma and was now equal to the US, all because it had chosen not to wreak vengeance or opt for retribution.
Brigadier Prof Mowadat Rana, head of the Department of Psychiatry, CMH, Rawalpindi, paid glowing tributes to Dr Niaz in his speech and said, "As a sensitive person, whatever goes on in Gaza, Kashmir, or Swat really touches her heart."
Dwelling further on the subject, he said that in Pakistan , a girl starts undergoing "terrorism" from the moment she's conceived. In this context, he mentioned how even today, in the so-called era of emancipation, people still sympathised with those who were successively blessed with baby girls, and said that it was, as such, all the more creditable that someone from that gender had written an account of women's travails.
In his informative, erudite discourse, Jabbar said that the mind of the terrorist had neuro-biological deficiencies. However, he said that parallels had to be drawn between terrorists and criminals, not the mentally ill. Abused children, he said, grew up to be terrorists. He based his contention on the many interviews he had conducted with young people in Swat.
In the end, Dr Unaiza Niaz, the author of the book, thanked the speakers for praising the project which, she said, had been exacting and emotionally taxing. "The plight of traumatised women drove me into writing the book."
She mentioned the Soviet "invasion" of Afghanistan of December 1979, which, she said, had changed the culture of Pakistani society by injecting drugs and Kalashnikovs into its social scenario. She said most of all it was the emotional trauma of the refugees rendered thus by mass displacement. It was factors such as these which had motivated her to work on the project.
Earlier, Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director OUP, welcoming the guests, said that the book took the reader straight into the heart of the problems that had besieged the world in general and the Muslim world in particular. She said the author had done a real service by concentrating on the psychological damage done by violence in the Muslim world.
Dawn Daily.
Widespread impact of violence discussed
KARACHI, March 9: In a country where very few facilities exist for research, it is challenging to write and compile a book on a subject as complex as the one selected by Prof Dr Unaiza Niaz, said former information minister Javed Jabbar at a book launch on Wednesday.
The book titled 'Wars, Insurgencies and Terrorist Attacks - A Psychosocial Perspective from the Muslim World' was launched at the Oxford University Press head office.
Appreciating the extensive research that the author had done, Javed Jabbar said that writing and compiling a book on such a complex subject was an unusual example of constructive collaboration, for writing was a singular art. He hailed the author and compiler of the book and claimed it was the first of its kind book.
He said two out of nine chapters were written by non-Pakistanis, and particularly referred to a chapter, Triangle of Human Rights Violations. He said that the notes given at the end of the book were very instructive, suggesting the extraordinary range of research and intellectual integrity since the compiler had given credit where it was due. He told the gathering that there were 747 references in the nine chapters and only 21 of them were from Pakistan. He remarked the author's tendency to be forthright in acknowledging research, however, proved a kind of a narrative speed-breaker, and hoped next time the interruptive continuity would be taken care of.
He said the subtitle of the book implied it was about the Muslim world though it wasn't confined to a certain boundary and also discussed acts of insurgency and violence in places like Northern Ireland, South Africa, Lebanon, etc giving a global perspective.
Javed Jabbar said the book illustrated the imbalance that existed between the Muslim and non-Muslim world, as according to a report, the number of books translated into Greek alone were more than those translated in 22 Arab countries.
Thematically, he iterated, the book was comprehensive because it talked about the widespread impact of violence - Gaza, Kashmir, Afghanistan - and read a line from it, "Terrorists are not mentally ill" and took an issue with it in a lighter vein. He acknowledged the argument presented that psycho-trauma could be transmitted to future generations. Mentioning the results of traumatic experiences and social pathology, he put forward six points (1) growth of violence as a means for settling disputes (2) xenophobia (3) preoccupation with retribution (4) community paranoia (5) cultural descent (6) moral disintegration. Finally, he quoted the following lines from the epilogue of the book: "The fish said to water, 'you cannot see my tears'. The water said, 'I can feel your tears as you live in me.'"
Brig Prof Mowadat Rana, head of the department of psychiatry at CMH Rawalpindi, said what went on in places like Kashmir and Kosovo touched Unaiza Niaz's heart on a daily basis. He claimed the book was a bit of an autobiography because the author had fought with insurgents and intellectual terrorists herself, coming out as victorious. He argued if a man had written the book it wouldn't have the same sensitivity. He claimed one of the accomplishments of the book was that it had separated the mind of the mentally ill from that of the mind of a terrorist or war-monger. He said: "We lived in a country which continues to exploit not just women but many other groups," and informed the gathering about some of the young boys from Swat he had interviewed with. However, he claimed that sometimes post-traumatic growth could also be positive.
In her concluding remarks, Unaiza Niaz said it was an emotionally taxing and complex project for her. It started as a small task and turned into an academic venture, she said. It also illustrated how psychiatrists went through everyday, she remarked.
Prior to the speeches, OUP Managing Director Ameena Saiyid briefly talked about the author. She said Ms Niaz was a clinical psychiatrist and her book was well-timed.
Book Launch today, 5:30 pm: OUP Head Office, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi: "Wars, Insurgencies, and Terrorist Attacks: A Psychosocial Perspective from the Muslim World" by Unaiza Niaz
posted Mar 8, 2011 11:38 PM by Website Admin [ updated Mar 9, 2011 12:24 AM ]
Author Unaiza Niaz, former federal minister Javed Jabbar, Brig. (Prof.) Mowadat Rana, and Ameena Saiyid Managing Director OUP Pakistan, will speak at the launch.
Speech by Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press, at the launch
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure to present to you this well-timed book, which takes the reader straight to the heart of problems that have besieged the world in general, and the Muslim world in particular. Usually seen as the perpetrators, the Muslim population is in fact paying the highest price for the terrorism associated with their lands and people. This may have become more obvious now as details of the revolts in the Middle East emerge and horrify those who had blindly supposed that Muslims under their dictators were quite content and cheerfully breeding terrorists to destroy other civilizations. No fundamentalists are playing a significant role in guiding the uprisings in any of the Mid-Eastern countries, a fact that should change perceptions about the Muslim mindset in the world today.
The author and compiler, who is a clinical psychiatrist, has concentrated on the psychological damage done by the violence in the Muslim world. The guest contributors in the book are psychiatrists from the Arab and Muslim world, and they highlight the human suffering in terms of mental trauma which generally goes unnoticed, especially among vulnerable groups such as refugees, women and children. This is an area which calls for much more research than has been carried out so far because not only does it pinpoint the observable suffering of the victims, and possible ways to alleviate it, but also exposes the likely long term effects of the trauma which could warp a whole new generation.
The book discusses the wars, insurgencies and conflict-related violence in different Muslim regions of the world, such as Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bosnia, Algeria, Chechnya, Iraq and Palestine, and studies why these have been erupting most frequently in Muslim countries. Moreover, it tries to synthesize all this extensive data into a reasoned sequence of cause and effect, underscoring the role that can be played by mental health professionals in bringing about peace.
Dr Unaiza Niaz, the author and compiler of this book is a consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist professor. Currently, she is Director, Psychiatric Clinic and Stress Research Centre, Karachi; Visiting Professor, University Health Sciences Lahore; Director, Institute of Psycho-Trauma, Pakistan; President, Pakistan Society of Traumatic Stress Studies; Chair, Section on Women's Mental Health, World Psychiatric Association. She has several notable publications to her credit, the latest of which deals with the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. She has, besides, contributed articles on mental health to various journals
Unaiza Niaz
Add to Cart ISBN13: 9780199060139ISBN10: 0199060134 Hardback, 350 pages
Feb 2011, In Stock
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Most wars, insurgencies and terrorist attacks are in the Muslim World. This is not a coincidence; understanding this phenomenon in its political and psychosocial perspectives is vital. An attempt is made to analyze these observable facts in a comprehensive, academic method why such incidents are more prevalent is the Muslim countries. It is crucial to understand the dynamics, the frustrations and the political system in the Muslim World. The author attempts to scrutinize and synthesize what has been reported from the scientific and professional literature. History of terrorism whether in the past or present is clarified Different theories of psychopathologies of terrorism and the theoretical, biological, social and psychological approaches are discussed in understanding these phenomena. The wars in the Muslim World in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries whether in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Algeria, Lebanon and Struggle of Kashmir's liberation, are discussed with the psychiatric aftermath on the civilians, validated by the guest authors from Muslim World
Product Details
350 pages; 8.5 x 138.0; ISBN13: 978-0-19-906013-9ISBN10: 0-19-906013-4About the Author(s)
Prof (Dr) Unaiza Niaz M.D., D.P.M., F.R.C. Psych is the Director of the Psychiatric Clinic & Stress Research Center, Karachi; Visiting Professor of University of Health Sciences, Lahore; Founder and President Pakistan Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the Chair, Section on Woman's Mental Health, The World Psychiatric Association.Former, Head of Department of Psychiatry, Pakistan Airlines and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. She is the Life Member of The Pakistan Psychiatric society, and held Positions as Vice President, Secretary General. She is a life member of the World Federation of Mental Health, American Psychiatric Association and Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London and was Advisor to the National Commission on the Status of Women, Pakistan
She has been trained in centers of excellence such as, The Royal Free Hospital, The Tavistock Clinic Hampstead London and The Johns Hopkins University, USA. She has to her credit numerous scientific publications in both national and international journals. She has authored several books: Emerging Images of Pakistani Women, Stress Management and The Psychosocial Profile of Pakistani Women, published by the Karachi University, Centre of Women's Excellence, and a landmark monograph on woman's mental health in Pakistan. She has edited books such as Medical Ethics in Contemporary Era, and a book on the Pakistan Earthquake 2005, International Perspectives in Handling Psycho-Trauma: The Day The Mountain's Moved.
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Wars, Insurgencies and Terrorist Attacks: A Psycho-Social Perspective From The Muslim World: A Psycho-Social Perspective From The Muslim World Wars, Insurgencies and Terrorist Attacks: A Psycho-Social Perspective From The Muslim World
Unaiza Niaz
350 pages | 216x138mmmm 978-0-19-906013-9 | Hardback | 24 June 2010
Price: £15.99
Readership: Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, social scientists, and all mental health professionals; Psychiatric Associations worldwide; all medical universities; postgraduate training units of psychiatry internationally; World Mental Health Associations (such as The World Federation of Mental Health, The World Psychiatric Association); Psycho-trauma Research Institutes (International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, with its associate centers world over, Aberdeen Center for Trauma Research, Scotland, UK); All UN Relief Agencies (WHO, UNICEF,UNHCR, ISDR UNRWA, OCHA,UNDP UNFPA, OPCW)
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