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Subject: Interior Officials End Indian Talks
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 09:34:37 EST
Interior Officials End Indian Talks
.c The Associated Press
By PHILIP BRASHER
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Interior Department officials upset by congressional
criticism have broken off talks with Indian leaders on settling claims on
billions in Indian trust funds.
Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.,
said Thursday the department's action ``sends a dangerous message to witnesses
that exercising their right to free speech could result in reprisals from the
federal government.''
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin were
found in contempt of court last month in connection with a lawsuit over the
government's handling of the funds.
On March 3, Interior officials canceled a meeting with tribal leaders a few
hours after the hearing by two Senate committees, including Campbell's.
Interior's assistant secretary for Indian affairs, Kevin Gover, said he did
not like the tone of the tribal representatives' testimony.
``You can't call me a liar in the morning and that afternoon ask me to trust
you,'' said Gover, himself an Indian. ``We're not sure there is enough trust
between the two parties to continue to negotiate without some kind of
congressional involvement.''
Tribal leaders say his response was childish.
``I came 1,400 miles to give the testimony and meet with the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. They told us their feelings were hurt and they didn't want to meet,''
said Charles Tillman, chief of Oklahoma's Osage Nation.
A spokeswoman for Babbitt said he had nothing to do with canceling the
negotiations. ``We're hopeful that a process can be set up for productive
meetings in the future,'' Stephanie Hanna said.
Interior manages $2.5 billion belonging to tribes and another $500 million
owned by individual Indians. The money includes lease revenue, royalties and
court settlements. The funds were mismanaged for decades, and lawyers for the
Indians say the government could be liable for billions of dollars in claims.
Tillman is on the board of a group that has been negotiating with the
department on a way to settle claims on the tribal accounts. The accounts
belonging to individual Indians are the subject of a class-action lawsuit.
The biggest single account, worth $500 million, is the proceeds of a court
judgment won by the Sioux tribes as compensation for their loss of the Black
Hills.
The federal judge handling that litigation said he was tired of lies and
bureaucratic foot-dragging and found Babbitt and Rubin in contempt of court
over their delay in turning over account records.
AP-NY-03-12-99 0923EST
Copyright 1998 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP
news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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