PRESS
RELEASE
Thursday,
August 10, 2006
NEW UNIT CREATED TO PREVENT AND
END VIOLENCE
For Immediate Release
August 10, 2006
– Ottawa, Ontario
–
Recognizing the need for a fast-acting mechanism that can respond in
cases of potential or actual violence, a new Early Response (ER) Unit
has been
formed by the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation,
in Ottawa. The
new ER
Unit provides critical services both domestically within Canada and internationally in unstable
situations and
fragile states.
CIIAN’s President and
the
Director of the ER Unit, Dr. Ben Hoffman, states “I believe
the new ER Unit is
greatly needed in our world of increasingly volatile environments.
Ethnic and
religious strife, land occupations, labor strikes, dysfunctional
workplaces,
and troubled schools can become violent unless timely action is taken.
We have
the expertise to recognize early warning signs that these environments
may
become violent and the experience to deliver an appropriate response
aimed at
prevention and stabilization.”
A Multi-Disciplinary Team of
Worldwide Experts
“Our ER Unit is
staffed with
a team of consultants who work in the most protracted conflicts and
hostile
environments. They are professionals in conflict resolution, law
enforcement, the
armed forces, international mediation, and peacebuilding”,
states Hoffman.
Saves Money and Other Resources
“It is now recognized
that
prevention is less costly than ending violence. Waging and ending a war
costs
more than peacekeeping, and peacekeeping costs more than prevention.
The same
applies at home. Unresolved conflict and violence in the workplace
costs
millions of dollars. In
addition to the
financial costs there are human and social costs, lost opportunities
and
debilitating long-term wounds.”
How it Works
Hoffman explains how it
works. “The ER Unit follows a model for intervention which
includes an early
and holistic assessment of the situation, immediate crisis management
to
stabilize an environment, and then assisting with the transition to
full
recovery and renewal.”
A Delicate Matter: Concerns and
Cautions
Hoffman recognizes that
there often concerns and cautions involved with matters of violence
prevention
and that anybody involved in an intervention must be aware of them and
act
accordingly.
He elaborates,
“confronting conflict
and recognizing that the potential for violence exists isn’t
an easy thing to
do. While we know that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of
cure, it
takes a lot of courage for managers and leaders to admit that there
might be a
problem and then to solicit outside help. Our ER Unit places special
emphasis
on conducting assessments and interventions in a respectful and
situationally-appropriate manner.”
For more information, contact:
Ben Hoffman, PhD
President
Canadian International Institute
of Applied
Negotiation
ciian@ciian.org
www.ciian.org
|
