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U.S. NEWSTuesday 5 January 2016

At Press Time:

Feds monitor armed group in Oregon, but keep their distance

Ammon Bundy, center, one of the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, walks off after speaking national facility. that the terms were too
with reporters during a news conference at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters The latest dispute traces its short under federal mini-
Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, near Burns, Ore. Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 standoff with the roots to the 1970s and the mum sentencing laws.
government over grazing rights told reporters on Monday that two local ranchers who face long “Sagebrush Rebellion,” a Both men were ordered
prison sentences for setting fire to land have been treated unfairly. move by Western states like back to prison for about
Nevada to increase local four years each. They have
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) control over federal land. said they plan to turn them-
While ranchers and others selves in Monday.
REBECCA BOONE it free of U.S. oversight.Peo- Ammon Bundy told re- complain of onerous fed- Kendra M. Matthews, an
Associated Press ple across the globe have porters Monday that the eral rules, critics of the push attorney for the men, said
BURNS, Ore. (AP) — An marveled that federal au- group wants authorities to for more local control have Monday they will seek
armed anti-government thorities have not moved look into claims that local said the federal govern- clemency from President
group took over a remote to take back the Malheur ranchers have been intimi- ment should administer the Obama.
national wildlife refuge National Wildlife Refuge. dated by the federal gov- public lands for the wid- The Bundy brothers say the
in Oregon as part of a Residents say they have ernment. est possible uses, including group plans to stay at the
decades-long fight over not seen a large presence Bundy spoke at the refuge environmental and recre- refuge as long as it takes.
public lands in the West, of officers, and the govern- south of Burns, Oregon. He ation. They declined to say how
and federal authorities are ment’s tactic generally is to said the group calls itself Residents of the tiny town many people were at the
keeping watch but keep- monitor the situation from Citizens for Constitutional of Burns are concerned property where several
ing their distance. afar but leave them be as Freedom and has sent a about the potential for vio- pickup trucks blocked the
The group came to the long as they don’t show “demand for redress” to lence. entrance and armed men
frozen high desert of east- signs of violence. local, state and federal of- Keith Landon, a longtime wore camouflage and win-
ern Oregon to contest the That’s how federal offi- ficials. resident and employee ter gear.
prison sentences of two cials defused a high-profile They want a response with- at the Reid Country Store, The FBI is working with lo-
ranchers who set fire to 2014 standoff with Nevada in five days. Bundy did not said he knows local law cal and state authorities
federal land, but their ul- rancher Cliven Bundy over say what the group would enforcement officials who to “bring a peaceful reso-
timate goal is to turn over grazing rights. Now Bundy’s do if they get no response. fear their kids will be target- lution to the situation,” the
the property to local au- two sons are leading the Reporters have seen rough- ed by the group. bureau said in a statement
thorities so people can use push in Oregon. ly 20 people at the remote “I’m hoping most of it’s just late Sunday. It said it is the
muscle, trying to push,” he agency in charge and
said. “But it’s a scary thing.” would not release details
If the situation turns violent, about the law enforce-
Bundy contends that it will ment response to ensure
be because of the federal the safety of officers and
government’s actions. those at the refuge.
“I mean, we’re here to re- Some are criticizing the
store order. We’re here to lack of action, saying it is
restore rights, and that can because those occupying
go peacefully and easily,” the property are white.
he said. Landon, the longtime Burns
The ranchers whose cause resident, said he sympathiz-
has been the rallying cry es with the Bundys’ frustra-
also reject the group’s tions. Landon was a logger
support. Dwight and son until the federal govern-
Steven Hammond were ment declared the spotted
convicted of arson three owl a protected species in
years ago for fires on fed- the 1980s, damaging the
eral land in 2001 and 2006. local logging industry.
They served their original “It’s hard to discredit what
sentences — three months they’re trying to do out
for Dwight and one year for there. But I don’t want any-
Steven — but a judge ruled body hurt,” he said.q