The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Photo from US Fish and Wildlife Service / Facebook
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Deputy Secretary Michael L. Connor traveled to Oregon on Monday to meet with the Burns Paiute Tribe and visit the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the site of the 41-day armed occupation. Jewell wants to increase the tribe's role at the refuge, The Oregonian reported. The tribe used to live there until the land was taken by the federal government in the late 1800s. Since the refuge houses sacred areas and other artifacts, the tribe was very concerned about the occupation. So far, two of the 26 defendants arrested in connection with the takeover are facing charges for damaging archaeological resources there. The charges stem from a road and latrines that were dug in and near sacred areas of the refuge, according to the indictment. One latrine contained human waste, according to federal investigators. Sean Anderson and Jake Ryan, whose name was redacted in the indictment posted above, are accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage to the archaeological site. Get the Story:
'This land belongs to all Americans,' Interior Secretary Sally Jewell says in Burns (The Oregonian 3/21)
Interior Secretary Visits Site of Oregon Armed Protest (Reuters 3/21)
Occupier who feds say dug trench for feces, disturbed sacred artifacts faces charges (The Oregonian 3/21)
After Oregon Standoff, Birding Is Back (The New York Times 3/21)
Burns Police Investigating Pacific Patriots Network Co-Founder (Oregon Public Broadcasting 3/22)
Join the Conversation
Related Stories
Defendants charged for
damaging sacred Burns Paiute Tribe site (03/10) FBI agents failed to disclose shots fired at armed Oregon occupier (3/9)
Young member of Tulalip Tribes indicted for role in Oregon standoff (3/7)
Additional charges expected in armed takeover at wildlife refuge (02/25)
Bundy family members finally charged for 2014 armed standoff (02/18)
Armed occupiers dug road and latrine near tribal sites at refuge (2/17)
Burns Paiute Tribe to help assess damage from armed takeover (2/12)
Armed occupation of wildlife refuge in Oregon ends with arrests (2/11)
Albert Bender: Tribes should reclaim land from unratified treaties (2/10)
Burns Paiute Tribe might seek to reopen judgment for stolen lands (2/8)
Steve Russell: Cowboy legal scholars fail big on federal Indian law (02/02)
Four people remain at refuge in Oregon as FBI defends shooting (1/29)
Leader of armed takeover tells followers to leave federal refuge (1/28)
Steven Newcomb: Federal refuge belongs to Burns Paiute Tribe (1/28)
Siletz Tribe disavows video showing artifacts at refuge in Oregon (1/27)
Steve Russell: Bundys finally ousted from Paiute ancestral lands (1/27)
Leaders of armed takeover at federal refuge arrested after death (1/27)
Burns Paiute Tribe asks DOJ to end occupation of ancestral land (1/26)
Andrew Rosenthal: Armed group pulls stunt with tribal artifacts (1/22)
Jacqueline Keeler: Burns Paiute Tribe concerned about artifacts (1/19)
Cari Carpenter: Sarah Winnemucca sought return of Paiute land (1/18)
Alex Jacobs: White militia sitcom plays out on Indian territory (1/15)
Armed group willing to turn over artifacts to Burns Paiute Tribe (1/15)
Albert Bender: Occupied land still belongs to Burns Paiute Tribe (1/13)
Jacqueline Keeler: Burns Paiute Tribe frustrated by armed group (1/12)
Jim Patterson: Burns Paiute Tribe perseveres despite pressures (1/12)
Steve Russell: Armed 'patriots' at odds with Burns Paiute Tribe (1/11)
Gyasi Ross: Crazy White people have turned into the new Indians (1/8)
Jacqueline Keeler: Paiute ancestors were forced on Trail of Tears (1/8)
Peter d'Errico: Armed White men invade Indian lands in Oregon (1/8)
Federal agencies closed offices in Oregon amid safety concerns (1/8)
House Democrats call for armed group to leave refuge in Oregon (1/7)
Charlotte Rodrique: Land rightfully belongs to Burns Paiute Tribe (1/7)
Burns Paiute Tribe tells armed group to leave ancestral territory (1/7)
Burns Paiute Tribe not happy with armed group on ancestral land (1/6)
Armed group wants more to join protest on ancestral Paiute land (1/5)
Armed group occupies wildlife refuge near reservation in Oregon (1/4)
