CPTNet
ESGENO�PETITJ- Your honour, I will not make a plea
by Doug Pritchard
Dec. 19, 2000

After many appearances and postponements, Canadian government officials
finally got their charges against 30 Mi'kmaq lobster fishers from
Esgeno�petitj (Burnt Church NB) into court in N�guac NB on November 30,
2000. However, all Mi'kmaq persons present rejected the authority of
Canadian courts over activities on their unceded territories and left the
courtroom.

Before leaving, Mi'kmaq translator Bernie Francis read a statement on
behalf of fisher Martina Parker saying, "Your honour, I will not make a
plea in this court. Under the Great Covenant Chain of Treaties and
Agreements, including the Royal Proclamation of 1763, all of "New
Brunswick" is unceded Mi'kmaq territory. With these Agreements, the Crown
promised not to colonize, nor appropriate any Mi'kmaq territory without the
full consent of the Mi'kmaq Nation...

"Canada violates our rights to be our own nation. Canada is violating this
trust by trespassing into our waters, seizing our property, brutalizing and
arresting Mi'kmaq citizens in lawful pursuit of their livelihood. These are
unprovoked acts of aggression by an invading force...

"I will not participate any further by entering a plea in this court of
Canada and I call on my nation to address these violations against our
authority by this court's government."

After those charged left the courtroom, the judge entered pleas of "not
guilty" for them, but has yet to set trial dates.

The Crown prosecutor then brought forward the charge of "obstruction" laid
against CPT Canada Coordinator Doug Pritchard as a result of his June 12
videotaping of Canadian officals seizing Mi'kmaq lobster traps set in
Miramichi Bay. Pritchard's representative Terrry Bartibogue entered a plea
of "not guilty" and a trial was set for the week commencing Mar. 19, 2001
in Miramichi NB. This will follow the trial of CPTers William Payne and Bob
Holmes set for the previous week commencing Mar. 12, 2001. They too were
charged with "obstruction" when they attempted to recover traps seized by
Canadian officials from Esgenoopetitj Band Councillor Brian Bartibogue on
May 6.

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite
Churches. CPT P. O. Box 6508 Chicago, IL 60680 tel. 312-455-1199 FAX
312-432-1213, E-Mail cpt@igc.org WEB www.cpt.org