Page 5 - Aruba Today
P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Monday 4 January 2016
Oregon standoff latest in dispute over Western lands
BURNS, Oregon (AP) — The a decades-long dispute Protesters march on Court Avenue in support of an Oregon
remote high desert of east- between some Westerners ranching family facing jail time for arson in Burns, Ore. Family
ern Oregon became the and the federal govern- members were convicted of the arsons three years ago and
latest flashpoint for anti- ment over the use of pub- served time. But a judge ruled their terms were too short un-
government sentiment as lic lands. The issue traces der federal law and ordered them back to prison for about four
armed protesters occupied back to the 1970s and the years each.
a national wildlife refuge to “Sagebrush Rebellion,” a
object to a prison sentence move by Western states like (Les Zaitz/The Oregonian via AP)
for two local ranchers for Nevada to increase local
burning federal land. control over federal land. locked door. Their mes- ter the march passed, two
Ammon Bundy — the son Critics of the push for more sage: Civilians were buying girls swooped in to scav-
of Nevada rancher Cliven local control have said the back their government. Af- enge the pennies.q
Bundy, who was involved federal government should
in a 2014 standoff with the administer the public lands
government over grazing for the widest possible uses,
rights — is among the peo- including environmental
ple at the headquarters of and recreation.
the Malheur National Wild- In an interview with report-
life Refuge. It was unclear ers late Saturday night
exactly how many people posted on Facebook, Bun-
were taking part in the pro- dy said he and others are
tests. occupying a building at
Ammon Bundy posted a the refuge because “the
video on his Facebook people have been abused
page asking for militia long enough.”
members to come help “I feel we are in a situa-
him. He said “this is not a tion where if we do not do
time to stand down. It’s a something, if we do not
time to stand up and come take a hard stand, we’ll be
to Harney County,” where in a position where we’ll be
Burns is located. no longer able to do so,”
Bundy and other militia he said.
members came to Burns Bundy said the group
last month, a small town planned to stay at the ref-
about 280 miles (450 kilo- uge indefinitely. On Sun-
meters) southeast of Port- day, supplies were seen
land, Oregon. They were being delivered to the ref-
upset over the looming uge area, which is remote
prison sentences for local even by rural Oregon stan-
ranchers Dwight and Ste- dards.
ven Hammond. They went Dwight Hammond has
to the wildlife refuge Sat- said he and his son plan to
urday evening following a peacefully report to prison
peaceful rally in Burns to Monday as ordered by the
support the ranchers. judge.
In the U.S., some people Harney County Sheriff Dave
who believe the govern- Ward told people to stay
ment is too involved in their away from the building as
lives describe themselves authorities work to defuse
as militiamen. While some the situation.
of them sometimes carry “A collective effort from
weapons, violent confron- multiple agencies is cur-
tations are rare. rently working on a solu-
Dwight Hammond, 73, and tion,” Ward said in a state-
Steven Hammond, 46, said ment.
they lit the fires on federal Beth Anne Steele, an FBI
land in 2001 and 2006 to spokeswoman in Portland,
reduce the growth of in- said Saturday that the
vasive plants and protect agency was aware of the
their property from wildfires. situation at the national
The two were convicted of wildlife refuge. She made
the arsons three years ago no further comment.
and served time — the fa- Not all local residents
ther three months, the son have welcomed the out-
one year. But a federal side groups, fearing for the
judge ruled in October that potential of violence. A
their terms were too short peaceful rally Saturday in
under U.S. minimum sen- support of the Hammonds
tencing law and ordered featured speeches, flags
them back to prison for and marching.
about four years each. As marchers reached the
The decision generated courthouse, they tossed
controversy and is part of hundreds of pennies at the
