Tuesday

Native American tribes in the United States will soon be given 10 million acres following a land buy-back program.

 The US government is currently preparing to spend almost $2 billion in purchasing privately owned lands. This plan is the result of a lawsuit in 2010 that ended after Congress agreed to buy back the land to return to Native American tribes. The head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Ken Washburn, thinks the buy-back could have many benefits for Native American groups in the US, reports UPI. But he says it will be up to Americans to voluntarily sell their land to Congress.

No one will be forced to leave their property. The buy-back will be completely optional. Some expect many property owners to be resistant to selling their land, however. One critic explains why some people will not want to give up their land to the government. Les Riding-In is assistant dean at the University of Texas.

Riding-In teaches graduate studies there, and is an active member of the Comanche Tribe. He says that people, especially Native Americans with private land, may see the land buy-back program as another retaking of land by the US government — just another act in a long history of taking land away, like colonization.

Some leaders of Native American tribes in the US say the plan is not fair. They say that of the 10 million acres, nearly 4.5 million of it will go to just seven tribes. With 150 recognized Native American tribes in the US, Chief James Allan of the Coeur d’Alene Tribes says everyone else will be left to fight over scraps.

The Department of the Interior is still in consultation with several tribe leaders. The US government hopes to begin the buy-back program this year with hopes to be able to turn over 10 million acres to Native American tribes within several years.
Source


Responses to "Native American Tribes To Get 10 Million Acres From US Government"

  1. Anonymous says:

    I smell a "Divide and Conquer" - again

  2. Anonymous says:

    Are we clear as to where these lands will be? Who will be overseeing distribution? Is this another "nice" way of saying more reservations? I think its wonderful news, but I think there needs to be some clarity here as to where these lands are located physically and geologically. I mean the guy who owns land he cannot cultivate crops on or is basically unfit to live on (irrigation problems, fracking, etc.) will gain and again the Native American will have another cycle of unsuitable land they cannot develop through past abuses. That coupled with tribes that are still awaiting recognition may need some real attention before it becomes a major problem for all Native people still existing in the US.

  3. Anonymous says:

    10 million acres WTF, our Rez alone is missing that much from what they took of ours. From West of Malta Montana to state line near North Dakota East to From the Northern boarder down into Wyoming. Why not just move in and shoot everyone and take their land like you did the first time??? Or better yet why not give them some free packages with tainted food and blankets and let the ebola virus do the job for ya you POS. Now that I have vented, do not just give it to the tribes, allot so much to every enrolled member so that they can decide if they want to sell it to the tribe or not. Any tribal members that already own land keeps their land.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I agree only with an added element, a decent home comes with the land. I and my family have land but can no way afford to build homes.

  5. denise renee says:

    well.....its cheaper to give back the land they used and wasted and don't want no more then to pay us what they really took,.....you really think this is wise to trust whitey again.....pfft

  6. Unknown says:

    How about returning ALL lands. Then everyone can live in "the Land of Freedom" (the land of "the brave and the free"). Since no rent has ever been paid to any tribes for the use of lands since Columbus arrived, this practice could continue -- and everyone can begin living rent-free. However, this would only work if each and all humans living in "America" (the entire "Western" hemisphere, a.k.a "the New World") were willing to live in PEACE among ALL peoples and in HARMONY with NATURE -- being grateful and respecting ALL forms of LIFE and Mother Earth -- as responsible and contributing members of the Community of Life on Earth. This is a big DREAM, and probably unlikely -- however, it is a better DREAM than the "Great American Dream," which has turned out to be a NIGHTMARE.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Now the government can control that land...Hummm..

  8. Anonymous says:

    I like Juan Ayala's comment. I am British, white, a permanent resident and live in Utah and have always had great respect for the Native Americans.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Will they take non-native refugees?

  10. Anonymous says:

    "No onw will be forceed to leave their lands" WTF What about the Native "Americans" forced to leave their lands on several moves to "Indian Territory" (Oklahoma), and all the tribes displaced by this forced moves into reservations.....ay, still 10 million acres is just the begining....

  11. Anonymous says:

    More land of the LAND TRUST, If the individual does not own the land how can he get a mortgage to build a home???????

  12. Anonymous says:

    give it back or pay lease or rent plus past enrichment benefits the people and government still enjoying

  13. Anonymous says:

    Guess it's a start..

  14. This comment has been removed by the author.
  15. Redhand says:

    I don't know the ins and outs of this situation, and I'm sure there are plenty. My first thought was ok, whatever else, we are stewards of Mother Earth, so whatever land, however we get it, is land we can take care of and prevent others from trashing.

    I'm sure the ins and outs are complicated, but we should find a way to agree that stewardship comes first. Not land for individuals, but for all the nations to take care of. We don't need to be fighting among ourselves, like white men, over who owns a plot of land. Who has more, who benefits most, etc. are white ways, not ours. Maybe a council of leaders from all nations would make some progress here.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Where do you get your facts? Only 150 Federally Recognized Tribes??? Try more like 565! Its easily looked up in the Federal Register. SMH

  17. Anonymous says:

    well..for starters take a look at the cobell settlement..it was designed in a way that made it hard for the average broke native with no acess to a computer or computer skills to run out of time and miss the deadline/s..also when i repeatedly asked for my grandfathers death certificant the lady i spoke with lied and never again responded..tribal infighting and favortism are also obstacles we face when it comes to making DEALS with the USBIA. Its another trick.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Who was really here first??? The Cherokee took from the Muscogee, the Muscogee took from the Mississippian mound builders, the Apache and Navajo took from the Anasazi, and so on and so on. White Europeans were simply the most recent in a long line of takeovers.

  19. Anonymous says:

    That's a great idea...our rez is so small u could drive threw in 5 mins cattle guard to cattle guard... there's not enough land for everyone we got ppl turning 21 everyday with kids n no where to go me included the tribe is willing to give us land but only if we get a preapproved loan from a bank (Welsfargo) to build a home n there's only a hand full of members that quality n the rest of us are SOL or unless ur close family member is on council...if we each had our own land then the tribe could then approve us the loan directly n just take payments out of our percap every month....I like this idea it smart because if given to the tribes as a whole its not gunna wanna be distributed they will use it for who knows wat...a resort for counci perhaps....lol...

  20. Anonymous says:

    Yeah that number didn't sound even close n that's what made me think maybe this isn't true at all...because I know theres that many or more then that here in California alone...so obviously the facts are wrong here which makes me question its validity....

  21. Anonymous says:

    I was part of that settlment I recived ones check so far n am supposed to get another anyday now n I know for a fact that lots of ppl didn't even know about it n they received checks because ppl we're posting on FB asking if anyone knew wat it was from n I explained it to several ppl that were clueless about it they had not sent any info or gone online....if they could not find u then they couldn't send u ur money but if they could get info on u n ur address they sent u a check or if u didn't meet the requirments then obviously ur not gunna get anything... they were open for along time I don't see why u couldn't go to ur local library n sign up or barrow a family members phone for 5 mins I'm not trying to be rude but there was also a phone number to call n sign up that way so u could have tried harder to get wat might be urs...we can't always blame white ppl sometimes it's our own faults because we allow ourselves to blame others.... that's including me

  22. Anonymous says:

    I spent three yrs working for IHS on two reservations. This is going to be a cluster fuck. Two much BIA incompetence, too much tribal politics. With tight supervision, the govt will fuck it up. With no supervision, the tribal counsels will screw it up. I can honestly say there is no obvious answer. The problems are overwhelming. More acreage will not change anything.

  23. Anonymous says:

    This is a good thing, make sure that it cant be taken back by the Corporate Toilets, and its distributed to them right. And they cant FRACK on the land or DRILL either. Where is all the Apaches in this, we should get some of this too.


    Stephen (Apache)

  24. Anonymous says:

    I'm only a white, European immigrant, so don't really have any right to say anything except that I completely sympathize with native people and how disgracefully they have been treated.
    I like what Redhand has to say. It seems to me that you should take back everything that is offered to you, don't give up any future claims and do everything you can to bring your lands back to health. The Earth is our Mother and we all owe it to her to take care of her as well as we can.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Just a way for white eye to get more land. Got all ours, now they can start taking from other white eyes.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Hopefully the area's they take from aren't in the bad conditions that the stupid gov't gave the native people before. It's bad enough they shipped the native people to the res a long time ago where they weren't able to live off the land as they were used to. Plus to take away much of the religion. I don't think this land should only go to a handful of tribes, but to all the native peoples. It should NOT be hard to receive the land & the only stipulation on said land should be that those who need homes get this land. I saw above something about the elders making another meeting lodge instead of using it for the good of the people. It's unfair that, as stated above, if you don't know a council person, it's highly unlikely that you'll get the land. It should be easy for ALL native peoples. There's so many people who've populated America that don't USE the land. I myself & my oldest, hopefully my sons in the future, love to live off the land. While I'm limited to rental constraints, I've found a way to create a garden & grow my own food while the gov't conspires to kill even us off by feeding us poison's in our lab created food & other junk it sprays on produce a well as the "crap" they feed the animals we eat. My wish & desire is that eventually there will be no trickery & deceit in this country,so that we all can live together & grow without prejudice & anger over the past wrongs & we can ALL work together to heal mother earth & rid her of the poisons of the past & future generations all in the name of "science & progress".

  27. Unless we use their own words and treaties against them we will have a small chance to get back some of what is owed First Nation's. I care even if other's don't. The people that were forced to live on Reserves on run for their lives and that's what my family did, run south for their lives, not knowing they would have the same treatment upon entering the US. But it was better than hanging around Trois Riviers to get you scalp taken for a profit....There were no other choices, but those that were trying to live their lives as it was before the European arrival had to leave Canada or be killed , scalped for a good French dollar...so we are still here, had we stayed behind we may be completely abolished by the King of France.

  28. Anonymous says:

    I also completely sympathised to the native people that treated by the imigrants hundreds years ago but in my opinion...., lets past years be past away...., there were other government outside of USA using the same motto " Unite in Diversity" such as my beloved country The Republic of Indonesia, why we have to be separated again by the idea of giving back the land to a handful of the tribes. Since I was a boy . I took a deep symphaty to the native people ( Indians ) that been cheaten by the Imigrants hundreds years ago but please ..., leave it to the past ... I also beg to be apologised if my idea not make all of you satisfied with it. GOD BLESS all of you my dearest friends of American people whether you are natives or imigrants.



  29. Anonymous says:

    You lost. We won. While we used scientific principles to expand and to settle, inventing and exploring along the way, you danced, just like today. The "Indians" were in the stone age when Whites came to this land. This is just like being angry with modern man for not keeping cave men around.

  30. as stewards of this earth, it's about taking care of the dirt and all its people. This opportunity to offer consolation or power to any one person or people and all talk around such things seems to come back down to one issue: there is not enough. There will never be enough while we sit squabbling instead of doing. What would you do with this land? What are you doing with the land now? What are you contributing? How are you a producer? When we give instead of take, there is always enough.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Take this land, then keep asking for more. Come back to them every ten years and tell them you need more space for your growing population and since there is so much "they" aren't using properly, they can certainly spare more. Sound familiar?

  32. Anonymous says:

    What about the tribes that do not have federal recognition, like the Lenape in NJ., Pa., and other states where they were pushed to when their land was taken in the 1700's. Gov't only recognises our western Brothers who went on the Trail Of Tears who were on the Dause(spelling) rolls. Those of us who did not go stayed east because we had married into families for generations by 1830. We hid our idenity in order to survive and not be forced off our land.

  33. Anonymous says:

    If the government is involved I would be seriously leary, they should just hand over all the national and state parks, the prime lands and b e done with it.

  34. Anonymous says:

    I think the government should turn over all the national forests to native tribe people - to caretake, to use, to live on, to allow Americans to visit. Give "back" the best lands.

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