Saturday, June 30, 2007

My Iraq: Child psychiatrist

As part of the BBC's Iraq week, child psychiatrist Dr Haidr al-Maliki describes his personal and professional anxieties.

My Iraq: Child psychiatrist



Dr Haidr al-Maliki was an army psychiatrist during Saddam Hussein's regime.

He now works as a child psychiatrist at Ab Ibn Rushed Hospital in Baghdad. He lives with his wife and four children.




There used to be about 80 psychiatrists in Iraq, now there are just 20 to 25.

And some of them will leave. Fifteen or so will eventually go to the UAE or to Jordan; it's difficult.

About a year ago, during Ramadan, four boys aged about 15 to 20 came into my private clinic, in front of my patient.

They asked "Are you Dr Haidr?" I said yes. And they shot me several times.

One bullet went into my right shoulder, another into my right arm. I am left with nerve injury and muscle atrophy.

Afterwards they told me I couldn't go to my clinic and that I had to leave the country. They didn't say why.

So, now I don't go out, I just stay at home. My own private jail.

During Saddam's regime we could take our families to the cinema.

I want to drink, I want to dance, I want to visit my friends. But I can't do anything. If I even think about going for a drink in my club 500m from my house, I will be killed.

Iraqi people are living in difficult times. Most of us have been exposed to aggression: attacks in the street, car bombings, kidnappings.

Most Iraqi people now deal with each other in an aggressive way; they show disturbed behaviour; they have lost their civility.

We don't know how to treat these problems really.

But I can't leave Iraq. If I and my friends leave, who will help our people?

Limitations of care

I was asked to open the child psychiatry centre in Ab Ibn Rushed hospital, but I have no training in children, really.

I read books and I try to help.

Most of the children are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, especially those who have been exposed to kidnapping.

Most of the children I see are bedwetting. They have disturbed behaviour or epilepsy.

We treat them with simple medication; it is very difficult.

Most of the families come here for help and sometimes we can do nothing for them, except offer support and advice.


Source

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Psychologists - Instrumental to Torture


Pentagon Says Psychologists Have Been Instrumental to Torture




A new Pentagon report confirms that military psychologists played a central role in designing and implementing psychological torture at Guantanamo and in Iraq and Afghanistan. In response, PHR has called on the American Psychological Association (APA) to respond with immediate corrective action.

The Pentagon report reveals that military psychologists with the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) program transformed torture methods used in "resistance training" for US personnel into standard operating procedure for military interrogations. The methods, which are known to cause extreme harm, include stress positions, prolonged sleep deprivation, isolation, sensory bombardment, sexual humiliation, forced nudity, induced hypothermia, exploitation of fears and phobias and more.

The APA must do more than merely reiterate the Association's general policy against torture. PHR is urging the APA to reverse Association guidelines, written in part by SERE psychologists, that encourage a key role for psychologists in national security interrogations. In a letter to APA President Sharon Brehm, PhD, PHR calls for the APA "particularly to reject these [SERE] interrogation methods and prohibit any role of psychologists in designing, implementing, training or observing their use or evaluating detainees subjected to them."

PHR's letter to Dr. Brehm coincides with a growing movement of concerned APA members and other psychologists seeking to protect and restore psychological ethics in the national security setting. PHR urges psychologists to support this movement by endorsing a resolution currently before the APA Council of Representatives calling for a "Moratorium on Psychologist Involvement in Interrogations at US Detention Centers for Foreign Detainees." The Council of Representatives will vote on the resolution at the upcoming APA national convention in August.


For More Information visit Physicians for human rights website

Saturday, June 16, 2007

What do you make?

Assalamu alaykum

Its funny how I have always seen teaching as my last resort. Nevertheless at the of my mind I felt that it was something not that I didnt want to do, but rather ity was somthing I was kind of scared of doing.

Sisters and teachers amke the best combination. Not only is it good practice :) but also its rewarding and it gives great flexibility.

After all that I have said in the past, I may keep it open as an option afterall.

If you are unsure, chek this out from Muslim Matter....


This is an inspiring video, and after watching it I couldn’t resist posting it here. It’s entertaining, but there is a good message about teachers and the impact they can have on their students.

Watch the video.


Here is a transcript of the poem:
What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don’t work out, you can always go to law school

By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

He says the problem with teachers is, “What’s a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about
teachers:

That those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the urge to remind the other dinner guests
that it’s also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite conversation.

“I mean, you’re a teacher, Taylor”
“Be honest. What do you make?”

And I wish he hadn’t done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
which is, if you ask for it, then I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and I can make an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

You wanna know what I make?

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence.
No, you can not work in groups.
No, you can not ask a question (so put your hand down)
Why won’t I let you go to the bathroom?
Because you’re bored and you don’t really have to go, do you?

You wanna know what I make?

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home at around dinner time:
“Hi, This is Mr. Mali, I hope I haven’t called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something your son did today.
he said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?”
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are
and who they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And then hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them realize that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a difference! What about you?