Opinion: 'Astonishing' trust fund mess

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2002

"The astonishing mess made by the federal government of Indian trust funds illustrates one more of the historical plights unique to American Indians.

The federal government began putting tribal lands in trust early in the 19th century. Vast tracts were later declared "surplus" and sold off to whites. In 1887, the federal government began subdividing western tribal lands into separate allotments for individual Indians. Millions of acres were then leased to non-Indians for ranching, logging, mining, and oil and gas extraction. The lease fees paid to the government were supposed to be forwarded in turn to the Indian landholders.

But the Interior Department and its Bureau of Indian Affairs failed to maintain proper records. Payments to Indian families for use of their land were haphazard and arbitrary. Repeated attempts since the late 1980s by outside auditors, Interior Department officials and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to reconcile warehouses full of old, decaying records and determine who is owed what all failed. . ."

Get the Story:
Robert J. Caldwell: Justice and hope: a better future for Native Americans (The San Diego Union-Tribune 11/17)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp