Forum over Oregon standoff canceled over safety concerns

The event held at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was spearheaded by an armed group led by Ammon Bundy is occupying a national wildlife refuge in eastern OR to protest federal land use policies.

Authorities say they’ll strictly enforce a no-guns policy at a community meeting Monday over the standoff at an OR wildlife refuge.

The Oregonian reports that the protesters have four demands from the federal government: Release the local ranchers, turn federal lands over to private ownership, void federal grazing permits, and allow Harney County to manage the wildlife refuge, rather than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

OR officials want the militia to leave, saying it’s been far past time for the occupation to end.

“I really don’t think at this point having a phone conversation here… would be beneficial”, Bundy said.

Bundy, a leader in the occupation that began January 2, wants to hold public negotiations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and said he was disappointed that the agency’s designated negotiator – based 130 miles away in Bend – did not show up to talk with him Friday at a site next to the Burns Municipal Airport. Bundy also questioned the Federal Bureau of Investigation authority, telling an agent, “If you haven’t got sanction from the sheriff, there’s no reason to be talking to you”.

One rancher in New Mexico and another eight in Utah have pledged to ignore their grazing contracts with the federal government in support of the group’s mission.

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is in Harney County, where local, state and federal law enforcement have convened to figure out how to deal with the occupation by the activists opposing federal land policy. The FBI has said it’s seeking a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

The group has recently bolstered a front entrance blockade with timbers and set up another checkpoint at a back entrance. By demanding a response under the tribe’s treaty rights with the federal government, Roderique is exercising tribal sovereignty over what happens at the refuge. Sewell said he’s restricted to allowing 85 cattle to graze on his federal allotment, where historically 600 animals have been allowed to graze. Federal prosecutors said the fires were set to hide poaching, while the Hammonds, who turned themselves in earlier this month to start five-year federal prison sentences, maintained the fires were set to protect their property from invasive plants and wildfires.

Sewell, who owns 160 acres, bought his ranch four years ago for about $1 million, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported, adding that it included grazing rights to 33,000 acres of public land.

Environmental groups say federal grazing fees are kept artificially low, resulting in a subsidy for ranchers. The group plans to open the 300-square-mile refuge for cattle this spring.