U.S. told to pay $100M to Indians

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 5

U.S. told to pay $100M to Indians

NZPA Washington

The United States Government may be forced to pay SUSIOOM compensation to the descendants of two nineteenth century Sioux Indian chiefs for violation of a land treaty signed in 1868, a federal court has ruled.

The Washington Federal Appeal Court estimated at SUSI OOM the value today of the Black Hills territory — an area of 100,000 sq km, in South Dakota — which was occupied in the last century by the Sioux. The court ruled that the territory was confiscated by the Federal Government in 1877 in violation of the Treaty of Fort Laramie signed nine years earlier with the two chiefs, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. It said the compensation should be paid to the chief’s estimated 50,000 descendants alive today. The sum is the largest financial retribution ever granted to American Indians and follows a lengthy legal battle. The Federal Government can still appeal against the ruling in the Supreme Court.