Meetings discuss Indian Trust money

 Meetings in Pablo and Browning next week will tell American Indians in Montana how they can share in the recently approved $3.4 billion settlement of Indian Trust claims.

On Tuesday, March 8, attorneys Bill Dorris and David Smith from the Kilpatrick Stockton law firm will discuss the settlement at a 5 p.m. meeting at the Browning High School Cafeteria in Browning.

At 5 p.m., on Wednesday, March 9, they will hold a meeting on the Flathead Indian Reservation at the Johnny Arlee Victor Charlo Theater, Bldg. 83, 58138 U.S. 93, Pablo. This is on the Salish Kootenai College Campus.

American Indians whose families have individual Indian money trust accounts or who own Indian trust land are welcome to attend these meetings regardless of their tribal affiliation and ask questions about the settlement.

In December, President Obama signed legislation ending the 15-year-old class action lawsuit that Elouise Cobell, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, and other American Indians filed against the government in 1996.

The settlement acknowledges that the federal government mismanaged individual Indians’ trust accounts.

Under the settlement, the federal government is creating create a $1.5 billion Accounting/Trust Administration Fund and a $1.9 billion Trust Land Consolidation Fund. The settlement also creates an Indian Education Scholarship fund of up to $60 million to improve access to higher education for Indians.

“The settlement represents a hard-won victory for Native Americans,” Cobell has said.  “Our hope is that these meetings and a public awareness campaign we are undertaking will get hundreds of thousands of Native Americans to apply for these funds. It has always been their money and I am delighted we can finally return some of it to them.”

“The settlement not only rights a tremendous wrong to Indian Country, but it will be a significant help to many Indians,” Cobell said.