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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2002

Jodi Rave of The Lincoln Journal Star, a Lee Enterprises newspapers, continues her series on the Indian trust fund and its problems.

Today's installments includes an article on the competing reform plans. A receiver for the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust, a Department of Interior reorganization and legislative solutions are all being considered and debated.

Many doubt change can occur in a way that satisfies everyone. "I find it very difficult, after all these years I've been involved, to say we can really develop something that has a true tribal complexion, that has a true tribal ideal," Michael Jandreau, chairman of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, told Rave.

The Navajo Nation is also a doubter -- of Ross Swimmer in particular. Secretary Gale Norton hired the former Reagan administration official to work on fixing the broken system.

"How can this current administration ask tribes to work with them in trust reform when they have top officials implicated in a breach of trust responsibility?" asked Navajo Nation attorney general Levon Henry. The tribe points to Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles, who also worked for the Interior during the Reagan administration, as another problem.

Louis LaRose, a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and a lead plaintiff in the IIM lawsuit said: "I believe in resurrection now. They resurrected Ross Swimmer."

Interviewed for another story is Ernestine Werelus, a member of Idaho's Shoshone-Bannock Nation. Fed up with the lack of inaction, she formed the Fort Hall Landowners Alliance to represent the interests of IIM account holders.

The group has helped increase income for landowners more than $2 million over five years, according to Werelus. The account holders are currently suing the Bureau of Indian Affairs over information they say was provided without their consent to a power company.

Tribes also want to take matters into their own hands but have left fund management and trust duties within the Interior. Many are reluctant to go on their own because the department has yet to provide accurate balances or an accounting of the funds.

A mid-1990s effort by Arthur Andersen, which has been convicted of a federal count of obstruction of justice, largely failed. The Bush administration is using the reports against the tribes in several court cases, however.

Get the Story:
What has to CHANGE? (Lee Newspapers 10/1)
'They resurrected Ross Swimmer' (Lee Newspapers 10/1)
'Education is your most powerful tool' (Lee Newspapers 10/1)
'They can't just send us a figure of how much we have' (Lee Newspapers 10/1)
`We have to save for our futures' (Lee Newspapers 10/1)

Related Stories:
Jodi Rave Series: Indian trust problems (9/30)