Volunteer group to recruit 'flashpoint' monitors

Volunteer group, Mediation Northern Ireland is seeking 19 new monitors to help with its work in easing tensions at community flashpoints over the coming summer.

The group said the volunteers would be used "on specific occasions such as parades when there is a likelihood of unrest" and "at times of increased tension when there is a need to generate calm across neighbourhoods".

In 2002 Mediation Northern Ireland played a significant role during unrest at the “inner east interface” in Belfast.

During July that year after discussions with politicians and community leaders on all sides, the organisation place a number of volunteers at critical points on both sides of the interface on days and nights of heightened tension. The deployment focused on the most significant days of parading.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: “Mediation Northern Ireland believes that at this stage of our society’s emergence from decades of instability, demographic segregation and mutual mistrust, the use of monitors in places of tension is a timely method of civic peacekeeping”.

Anyone wanting to volunteer can contact Sheila Hoyer on 028 9043 8614.

The induction sessions will be held on Tuesday, June 1, Tuesday June 8 and Tuesday June 15 from 7-9.30pm each day.

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