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NEW BRUNSWICK - Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is sending a violence-reduction team to the lobster fishing grounds at Burnt Church, New Brunswick for three months beginning April 4, 2000.

During a CPT fact-finding mission to New Brunswick in January, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal persons spoke of their fears of renewed violence when lobster fishing begins this spring. Since then, the dispute over the Supreme Court's recognition of the right of Aboriginal peoples to fish commercially remains unresolved.

One man at Burnt Church First Nation told CPT, "Over the winter First Nations have been in one long continuous meeting over the fishery. The federal government does not understand we have the right to regulate our own fishery. They want to force their 'agreement' on us". Federal officials have recently threatened to seize boats and charge fishers who do not accept the government's terms.

Participating in the initial four person team will be Gerry Lepp (Harrow, ON), Joel Klassen (Kitchener, ON), Lena Siegers (Brussels, ON) and Janet Shoemaker (Goshen, IN)

Shoemaker said, "Our goal is to reduce the risk of people being hurt this spring. We will be visible in the community, meeting with fishers, police and regulators, and reporting on any abuses we observe."