and organised violence
Why EFPP wants to organise a working-group concerning victims of torture and organised violence?
The
executive has discussed a need for the formation of an ongoing group giving
priority to the psychoanalytic work with victims of organised violence
and torture as well as the immediate families of victims. Why is
this? Why do we want to put special emphasis on this area of work compared
to other areas? The importance of doing this should be understood in the
perspective that an organisation like the EFPP has social-political
obligations and needs. It is in the best interest of psychoanalytic work
in general, and of special importance related to the work done in the
public sector, to make links with the social-political area of human rights.
Whether we recognise this or not - these dimensions are part of the context
for the psychotherapeutic dialogue and as such are part of the psychoanalytic
process. The theme of this conference (Cyprus, October 2000)
is: "The therapist's influence on the process and outcome of psychoanalytic
psychotherapy". Relating to this, it is a sad fact that the process
and outcome of therapy are affected both directly and indirectly by an
external
reality of war, ethnic or religious conflict, organised violence and torture,
which in so many parts of the world, including Europe, confronts or has
confronted both the patients and the therapists alike. As we know these
processes don´t stop as peace is achieved in the external world
but are known to continue as chaotic parts of our internal world even
through generations.
That
this is so becomes so much more acute considering the present external
context of the conference at Cyprus taking place in the divided city of
Nicosia, split in two parts along an artificial line created as a result
of
armed conflict. It is distressingly appropriate to take this initiative
just at a time in which the on-going Middle-East conflict has reached
a point of acute crisis bound to create more victims at all age-levels
at both sides of the conflict.
This
is why the Executive of the EFPP has asked Andrè
Gautier to act as the fascilitator or convenor of an on-going working-group.
It is our hope in the long run to establish a forum for the development
of psychoanalytic
thinking and methodology in this area.
Cyprus,
October 2000
Liselotte Grünbaum
