And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
From: "Chris Milda (_Akimel O`odham_)"
To: "F.Y.I. to Community Member/Recipients":;
Subject: Indians' lawyers say trust fund case is made (Fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.990615134924.20301f-100000@Flamestrike>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 13:49:06 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Indians' lawyers say trust fund case is made
http://www.azcentral.com/news/0615indiantrial.shtml
News
Indians' lawyers say trust fund case is made
By Rachel Smolkin
Scripps Howard
June 15, 1999
WASHINGTON - Only three days after a landmark trial began into
allegations the federal government mismanaged billions of dollars in
American Indian trust funds, attorneys for the Indians are preparing
to rest their case.
"We think our case is established," said Keith Harper, an attorney for
the Indians. "The system, as of June 10th, is broken."
Attorneys for the Indians initially expected their case to last two to
three weeks but now say they will complete it by today. Harper said
that the witness testimony and documentary evidence is "overpowering"
and that the government's plan to fix the system is no different from
plans that have failed in the past.
Each year, the federal government funnels $350 million from oil, gas
and timber leases and royalties into trust accounts held by individual
Native Americans for their land.
The suit, which affects about 300,000 Native Americans, charges that
the government lost track of money in accounts dating to the late
1800s and seeks a court-ordered fix on behalf of the Indians.
Statements by the U.S. government Thursday surprised attorneys for the
Indians, aiding the decision to shorten the case, Harper said.
Just before the trial opened, the government acknowledged that the
current system is inadequate and that the government cannot provide
all account holders with basic information about their accounts.
Attorneys for the government argue the court action is unnecessary,
because the Department of Interior is already hard at work correcting
the system.
"My perspective and the secretary's (Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt)
are that the system is broken," said Bureau of Indian Affairs head
Kevin Gover, who sat at the defense table Monday. "The real chore here
before the court is how do we fix it."
Once Interior completes planned improvements - including new systems
to computerize land titles and leases and to distribute checks - BIA
officials say the government will be able to meet its trust
obligations.
Attorneys for the government expect to start their case this week.
[INLINE]
Copyright 1999, Arizona Central
Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
doctrine of international copyright law.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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