The U.S. Government created trust accounts for Native American landowners more than a hundred years ago. The landowners were supposed to receive money from the government for any revenue generated from the land, but many never did.
In January, the government agreed to a $3.4 billion settlement.
Samuel Benallie was one landowner who came out to Farmington Wednesday morning to find out if he qualified for a piece of the settlement money. “It hurts when your money has been misused,” said Benallie.
Hundreds packed the Civic Center in Farmington to hear Lead Plaintiff Elouise Cobell talk about the billions of dollars she won for Native Americans. “We had to do a lot of work to convince people that this money was owed to individual Indians because it was their money,” she said.
Now organizers are holding meetings all over the country to raise awareness.
“We made the government pay attention that individual Indians are somebody and you better be accountable,” said Cobell.
Those who qualify for a piece of the settlement will get e minimum of $1,800.
The next informational meeting will be at the Torreon Chapter house in Torreon, New Mexico.
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