"The U.S. Department of the Interior, along with Congress, needs to provide a strong remedy to the Indian Trust problem, in reforms that result in accountability and security, that result in a cure.

The reforms come in response to an ongoing 1996 class-action lawsuit -- Cobell vs. Norton -- that alleges long-term mismanagement, resulting in losses on the part of the Indian people of $1 billion.

The federal government has held Indian lands, along with grazing and mineral rights, for more than 100 years. The management of those resources has been at least shoddy, if not fraudulent. It's hard to tell which because of poor record-keeping on the part of the government, even in this time of high-speed data management."

Get the Story:
Reform of Indian Trust management imperative (The Bismarck Tribune 6/14)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

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