The latest issue of Human Rights Magazine, a publication of the American Bar Association, focuses on the Cobell trust fund lawsuit and other Native issues.
Keith Harper, one of the Cobell attorneys, provides background and an update on the 10-year-old case. "Since the trust�s inception, the government has assumed the powers of a trustee without abiding by the concomitant responsibilities. The result has been a legacy of incompetence and abuse that is plainly intolerable and must cease. This case will right that wrong," he writes.
Ross Swimmer, the Special Trustee for American Indians, contributes an article to separate "fact" from "fiction" in the Cobell case. "Contrary to allegations that no records exist, more than 300 million pages of Indian records are preserved" at the American Indian Records Repository in Kansas, he says.
John Echohawk, the executive director of the Native American Rights Fund and co-counsel on the Cobell case, is hailed as a "Human Rights Hero." "With Echohawk at the helm, NARF�s cases and legislative successes have touched all aspects of tribal life. They range from securing federal recognition of tribal sovereignty and establishing historical rights in land and waters to helping draft and win passage of such major pieces of legislation as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and amendments to the Voting Rights Act," writes Nicholas Targ, an attorney and professor at Howard University School of Law.
Other articles talk about sacred places, sovereignty in Alaska and Indian health care. The entire Spring 2006 issue can be read here: http://www.abanet.org/irr/hr/spring06/home.html.
Get the Story:Keith Harper: Cobell v. Norton: Redressing a Century of Malfeasance (Human Rights Magazine Spring 2006)
Ross Swimmer: Separating Fact from Fiction: The Department of the Interior and the Cobell Litigation (Human Rights Magazine Spring 2006)
Human Rights Hero: John Echohawk (Human Rights Magazine Spring 2006) Senate Indian Affairs Committee Statement:
INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POSTPONES CONSIDERATION OF TRUST REFORM LEGISLATION (August 2, 2006) Indian Trust Reform Act:
S.1439 | H.R.4322 Relevant Links:
Senate Indian Affairs Committee - http://indian.senate.gov
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne - http://www.indiantrust.com
Office of Special Trustee - http://www.ost.doi.gov
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm Related Stories:
Editorial: Justice for Indian account holders (8/18)
Professor: Removal of Judge Lamberth a tragedy (8/7)
Cobell eager to settle Indian trust fund lawsuit (8/7)
Letter: Nearly $1B wasted on Swimmer's trust reform (8/7)
Editorial: Stop delaying settlement to Cobell (8/4)
McCain puts twist in Cobell settlement bill (8/3)
Bush officials asked McCain to delay Cobell settlement (8/3)
Cobell settlement bill 'dead' in Congress (8/2)
Time running out on Cobell settlement bill (7/28)
Editorial: It's time for settlement on Cobell (7/28)
Ross Swimmer: Interior still 'working' on trust (7/28)
Cobell issues statement on settlement talks (7/25)
Cobell settlement awaited in Indian Country (7/25)
Jodi Rave: Cobell worried about settlement legislation (7/24)
Mark Trahant: It's time for the U.S. to keep its word (7/17)
Editorial: Lamberth too honest in trust fund case (7/17)
Cooler heads sought in Indian trust fund fight (7/14)
Lamberth removed from Cobell trust fund case (7/12)
Lamberth is third judge removed by D.C. Circuit (7/12)
Cobell settlement rumored to be in the billions (7/5)
Cobell rallies for support on trust fund lawsuit (06/19)
Editorial: Give Kempthorne a chance on Cobell (6/15)
Cobell files contempt charges against Kempthorne (6/13)
Editorial: Dirk Kempthorne arrives in Washington (6/13)
Swimmer calls Cobell settlement 'reparations' (5/8)
Cobell: Settle Indian trust fund case for billions (4/20)
Cobell to appear on C-SPAN Washington Journal (4/12)
Cobell renews call for receiver as court hears case (4/12)
Cobell vows fight to resolve trust fund lawsuit (4/10)
Cobell plans big showing on day of court hearing (4/4)
Jodi Rave: Tribes alarmed at trust reform initiative (4/3)
Cobell addresses trust fund mismanagement (3/30)
Ross Swimmer: Indian trust not about mismanagement (3/29)
Norton denies fraud or major problem with trust (3/29)
GAO report warns of billions in lost oil, gas royalties (3/29)
Witness list for hearing on Indian Trust Reform Act (3/28)
DOI trust reform meeting set for Portland, Oregon (3/24)
Kempthorne faces hot issues at Interior Department (3/21)
DOI pressed for more clarity on trust initiative (3/3)
Congress urged to settle Cobell lawsuit for billions (03/02)
Listening Lounge: Joint hearing on Cobell v. Norton (03/01)
Interior hits the road with new trust reform initiative (02/08)
Jodi Rave: Garcia calls for settlement of Cobell (2/3)
Cason slashes BIA budget and blames it on Cobell (2/3)
Tribes discuss trust reform bill, Cobell settlement (1/31)
Commentary: Swimmer still not telling the truth on trust (1/26)
Opinion: Indians want $12B of 'YOUR' money (01/10)
Cobell: Appeals court ruling a favorable one (12/21)
Cobell team awarded fees for lengthy court fight (12/21)
Ross Swimmer: No 'lump sum' settlement for Cobell (12/19)
Attorney: Interior still not living up to trust duties (12/19)
Report: Cason says termination of trust on the table (12/16)
Still no agreement on settlement to Cobell (12/9)
Audio: House Resources hearing on Cobell (12/8)
House Resources to hold hearing on Cobell (12/5)
Elouise Cobell: Lamberth frustrated with DOI (11/28)
Judge Lamberth, the cowboy, sides with Indians (11/28)
Editorial: Settle Cobell trust fund lawsuit (11/25)
Cobell to press Interior on accounting mess (11/22)
Cobell says government not off the hook on trust fund (11/21)
Broad accounting of Indian trust fund blocked (11/16)
Battle over Cobell trust fund case heats up (10/24)
Appeals court considers bias charges in Cobell lawsuit (10/17)
Another Cobell v. Norton hearing this week (10/11)
Interior warned of computer security risks again (09/30)
Editorial: BIA is busy ... dumping trust records (09/29)
Opinion: A century of stalling on Indian trust (9/28)
Editorial: Interior's 'self-serving' claims on trust (9/27)
Editorial: Lamberth now knows what termination is like (9/23)
Trust fund records dumped by federal records agency (9/22)
Editorial: Time to get to bottom of trust fund woes (09/22)
Cobell plaintiffs: Swimmer to blame for trust woes (09/20)
DOI spends $30K to produce glossy report on trust (09/20)
Appeals court hears latest Cobell v. Norton dispute (09/19)
Commentary: Government cheating Indians on trust fund (09/19)
Cobell willing to consider land, payment schedule (09/16)
Appeals court delays Lamberth fairness complaint (09/16)
Lamberth has many fans but Interior not one of them (09/15)
Ross Swimmer: Cobell suit not about mismanagement (09/14)
Two Cobell v. Norton court hearings this week (09/13)
Swimmer disputes Cobell trust fund lawsuit (9/8)
Cobell speaks to account holders on Navajo Nation (9/2)
Editorial: Both sides must work on trust reform bill (9/1)
Interior to negotiate with tribes on trust records policy (08/30)
Cobell speaks to account holders in Arizona (8/31)
Cobell blasts effort against trust fund judge (8/29)
Cobell to update account holders on lawsuit (8/24)
Editorial: Fix trust fund, don't target Lamberth (8/18)
Norton wants Lamberth taken off Cobell case (8/16)
Cobell Letter: Ross Swimmer can't tell the truth (08/08)
Resolution of Cobell v. Norton appears far away (08/05)
Editorial: McCain and Dorgan should fix trust bill (08/04)
BLM CIO threatened with demotion in Cobell case (08/02)
Indian Country, Interior far apart on trust bill (08/01)
Editorial: Settlement of trust fund case at hand (08/01)
Appeals court stays Lamberth order on notices (07/29)
Judge blasts Interior on handling of trust (7/13)
Elouise Cobell: Principles put trust back into trust fund (07/07)
Cobell and Cason to appear on C-SPAN program (7/6)
Cobell calls for settlement of trust fund lawsuit (7/5)
Editorial: Resolution of trust fund debacle needed (7/5)
Editorial: Abramoff scandal can't compare to trust (6/30)
Opinion: Downfall of Indians traced to Army, BIA (6/28)
Pombo supports settlement of Cobell trust fund case (6/27)
Harjo: Tribes lobby to fleece their own people (6/24)
Editorial: Congress should settle trust fund (6/24)
Editorial: Trust fund a 'national embarassment' (6/22)
Indian Country united on trust reform solutions (6/21)
Trust workgroup to outline Cobell settlement goals (6/17)
Echohawk optimistic on settlement of Cobell case (06/03)
Final trust reform meeting held in North Dakota (6/3)
UTTC hosts meeting on trust reform legislation (6/1)
House panel acts to restore Bush budget cuts (05/05)
NCAI and ITMA hold second trust reform meeting (05/04)
Bush administration won't give up fight on Cobell (03/18)
McCain weighs GAO probe of Indian trust debacle (03/10)
McCain lays out Indian agenda for 109th Congress (3/7)
Norton won't testify on trust fund retaliation (2/28)
Bush official won't accept claims of trust mismanagement (02/17)
Appeals court won't hold back Lamberth on trust reform (12/13)
Appeals court supports Lamberth's authority on IT (12/06)
Lamberth critical of Norton's 'bad faith' on trust fund (10/25)
Interior denies attempt to halt trust fund payments (10/05)
Bush administration challenges trust fund ruling (09/16)
Appeals court takes on Cobell trust fund case (9/15)
Lamberth exchanges harsh words with Cobell critic (08/02)
Bush administration calls for end to Cobell case (04/09)
Cobell trust fund suit mediators announced (4/6)
Special master Balaran resigns from Cobell lawsuit (04/06)
DOI's Internet connection shut down for third time (03/16)
Lamberth defends special master against attack (03/16)
Anderson praises Cobell suit in NCAI speech (2/25)
Tribes still frustrated on trust reform (11/20)
Bush officials blasted by tribal leaders (11/19)
Cobell plaintiffs disputing trust fund rider (11/17)
Daschle criticizes 'shameful' rider in DOI budget bill (11/04)
Norton welcomes time-out in Cobell trust fund case (11/4)
Bush official balks at large settlement for Cobell (7/10)
Court investigator slams Interior's trust fund report (04/22)
Norton gets another day in court (4/22)
Court looks into TAAMS 'concealment' (11/07)
Court probes Norton's trust fund report (10/11)
Norton's witness on TAAMS does damage (09/23)
Top trust reform official comes under fire (05/21)
Feisty memos at heart of trust reform feud (05/20)
On trust, the problems remain the same (05/13)
A super assistant secretary, in all but name (05/03)
Memo sounded early warning on TAAMS (2/4)
Trust system takes center stage in contempt (2/1)
Trust reform update sheds some light (1/22)
Norton: Trust reform blueprint 'obsolete' (1/18)
Under watch of Swimmer, TAAMS halted (1/18)
Norton signs trust reform update (1/17)
Witness testifies against software corruption (1/15)
TAAMS: The Titanic Failure (12/20)
TAAMS failure traced to promoted manager (12/20)
Norton ordered to submit trust fund report (12/18)
Official: Trust fund fix at 'great risk' of failure (10/10)
Memo: Solicitor's order was 'intimidating' (10/10)
Interior delaying trust reform report (9/6)