U.S. offers Indians $3.4B for mismanaging land trusts

[Nagishkaw 510]

The Obama administration admitted today that the U.S. government had mismanaged land trusts for American Indians for generations and will pay nearly 500,000 individuals $3.4 billion and create a $60 million scholarship fund.

The proposed settlement, which still needs the approval of courts and Congress, would end a 13-year legal saga involving one of the most complicated suits ever brought against Washington.

The Interior Department is accused of essentially cheating American Indians out of royalties from mining, grazing, drilling, timber harvesting and other commercial activities on 56 million acres owned by individuals and tribes. The federal government manages the trusts, which were established in the 19th century.

"This is an historic, positive development for Indian country and a major step on the road to reconciliation following years of acrimonious litigation between trust beneficiaries and the United States," said Ken Salazar, the Interior Department secretary.

When he campaigned for the White House, President Obama pledged to settle the class-action lawsuit. Today he called the settlement "an important step towards a sincere reconciliation."

Elouise Cobell, the lead plaintiff, said there is "no doubt" that the settlement amount is "significantly less than the full accounting to which the class members are entitled," Indian Country Today reports. Plaintiffs put the true value at closer to $47 billion.

But Cobell endorsed the settlement, noting that some Indians have died and that many others are living in extreme poverty.

"A settlement can address the situation," Cobell said, adding that land trust changes should continue.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/on...g-land-trusts/1

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

better than the stonewall they've been getting

[HAL 9000 96]

Awesome!

[Scott & Lai 12]

[Danno 1,228]

Assuming they are entitled to it (I don't know the details of the suite), I hope this is a meaningful aid and not eaten up by lawyers.

I have spent a little time on reservations in AZ and.... it ain't pretty.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Danno

[ready4ONE 5,400]

[Nagishkaw 510]

I bet this doesn't make the IRS too happy.

[BluesTraveler 0]

I bet this doesn't make the IRS too happy.

I wonder if the tribe can use the money to pay off the IRS and get their land back that the IRS auctioned off.

If anyone is curious to do the math it is about ~$6,800 per person $3.4B / 500K

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I worked on the Cobell case out of the Native American Rights Fund's DC office in 1996 when it was first filed and the records for the individual money accounts were being compiled. We knew it would never be settled in a way that would reflect the actual value of the tribal allotments and resources rights because the federal government's recordkeeping was intentionally corrupted. Government trustees never expected that Native account holders, as dependents, would ever be able to demand an accounting of their holdings and be heard. I applaud the Obama administration for finally accepting responsibility for this massive wrong and doing what it can to correct it.

Edited December 10, 2009 by Sofiyya