Indigenous Cables or Did USFWS Previously Dig up Sacred Grounds at Refuge? (Includes Statement by Ammon)
According to the USFWS law enforcement officer, the last remaining protestor holdouts dug up wires/cables when creating their defensive trench. Assuming this was undisturbed native grounds, the following questions are raised: How did the indigenous peoples, who were using mainly stone tools, get not-yet-invented cables into the ground? Or, has anyone been misleading the public regarding the scope of the damage to purportedly undisturbed sacred grounds?
------
ACTION ALERT: Please find public records or witnesses regarding trenching by government and/or installation of cables or other digging at the refuge. The cables in the video appear to be pre-building code of 1982 (i.e., buried but not in conduit). Does anyone in Harney County remember installing this and what they observed when digging? Does anyone know of any other digging at the refuge?
------
RECORDED STATEMENT FROM AMMON BUNDY: While protesting at the refuge, we respected the land and all its culture and heritage. We made efforts in safeguarding and improving the security of the Native American artifacts. There needs to be a distinction from our efforts and the disrespect of the agents of the US Fish and Wildlife Service in caring for and respecting the native artifacts. When we arrived we found, for instance, an artifact that looked like a stone shaft with a ball on the end being used as a desk ornament in the carp office and other artifacts on the floor and laying around the buildings. We felt these artifacts should not be carelessly strewed all over and that it was disrespectful to the Native Americans.
It is important to note that there were actions taken on this land before we got there and after we were ambushed and arrested. I have no firsthand information about what panic ensued after LaVoy was shot and killed, but I am very understanding of the terror the other protesters must have felt when they received information about the ambush and death of our friend.
I also understand that the actions of those remaining at the refuge came with the backdrop of what federal agents did at Ruby Ridge and Waco, events that were discussed on the live feed during the final hours. I understand the fear they felt and the right they have to protect themselves from unlawful use of force.
I find it a sad pattern that the government has not publicly admitted that all the artifacts are safe and accounted for, and that they have not discussed that they had previously dug at the same spot as the defensive trench.