Department of Interior's Abuse of American Indians Indicates Abusiveness of Nation
Frank A. Jones
2.6.06

For the last 11 years, the US District Court has ordered the Department of Interior to determine how much money it owes Native Americans for their mineral and oil rights on lands the Department of Interior has held in trust for some hundred years.

The judge has become so disgusted with the US Department of Interior's  inability to account accurately that he (Judge Royce Lamberth) stated in one of his rulings that the Department was a "Pathetic outpost" and told them to admit that they cannot come up with accurate figures on how much money of Native Americans they have lost, misplaced, and cannot account for.

The Judge ordered the Department of the Interior to place notice in the their correspondences that said, the information the Department gives on trust assets may not be credible. Of course, the Department was angered by that order, but for years they have abused Native Americans finances and dignity. Being embarrassed by the judge's order to openly parade their incompetence,  they filed a request to have him removed, saying he is bias against them.

The latest action on this now 11-year old case is this: the Judge has ordered the Department of Interior to pay the Indians' attorneys fees even before this case is settled, which fees are quite sizable after all 11 years--$14 million.  In a grudge move to that order, Interior decided they would take those court fees out of the regular Bureau of Indian Affairs' monthly stipend paid to the tribes.

Since the Department of the Interior cannot begin to determine how much money they have mishandled of the royalties off  Indian land mineral resources, and they won't agree to the estimates the  American Indians have come up with or accept a compromise settlement of $27 billion, the  American Indians are now going to Congress. But Congress is attempting to bargain them down from the $27 billion, even though the American Indians estimate the real money owed is $100 billion.  [Approximately 18 months of the money spent in Iraq]

This interminable court case must be settled for equity sake. If this nation can spend $5 billion+ a month in an elective Iraqi, we can pay American Indians the small sum the Interior Department has misused and is unable to account for. Seemingly, the injustices of this nation are ingrained in its fabric. Yes, Blacks are the go-to abuse-boy, but this nation spreads its abuse and torture around, throughout the world. Home is no exception. []

Frank A. Jones
2.6.06

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