Oregon tribe says armed activists 'desecrating' land

The leader of an Oregon Indian tribe whose ancestral property is being occupied by a small, armed group opposed to federal land policy says the activists aren't welcome and need to leave.

Burns Paiute Tribal Chair Charlotte Rodrique told reporters Wednesday that the tribe is concerned about damage to cultural artifacts. The group is "desecrating one of our sacred sites," she said.

The activists seized buildings at the remote Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday. Authorities had not yet moved to oust the group of roughly 20 people.

The Paiute people spent winters in the area before settlers, ranchers and trappers arrived, Rodrique said. The tribe signed a federal treaty in 1868 and expected the government to honour the agreement to protect their interests, though the U.S. Senate never approved it, she said.