February 11, 1997
Hearing Held to Determine Navajo-Settlement Fairness
A "Fairness Hearing" conducted by Federal Judge Carroll was held Tuesday
in Phoenix. This hearing will determine whether the Settlement Agreement
the Hopi Tribe has with the Federal Government to settle a long standing
land dispute between the Hopi and Navajo Tribes is fair. As part of the
Settlement Agreement, the Hopi Tribe offered an Accommodation Agreement to
the Navajo families who wish to remain on lands partitioned to the Hopi
Tribe.
"The primary purpose of the Hopi Tribe in offering to settle the dispute
is to regain jurisdiction of our land," said Hopi Tribal Chairman Ferrell
Secakuku. "We will do so whether the judge determines the settlement is
'fair' or not."
"If the court decides that the settlement is not "fair," the Hopi Tribe will
not mediate again. The agreement represents the Hopi Tribe's best efforts
to settle the dispute," Secakuku explained. "If a Navajo family signs an
Accommodation Agreement, the Hopi Tribe will continue to work with those
families to implement the agreement and address issues mutually."
"The accommodation is the final offer of the Hopi Tribe. Those Navajo
families who decide not to sign the agreement, the Hopi Tribe will work to
see that they leave the Hopi Partitioned Lands as soon as legally possible.
As a point of clarification, no forced evictions will take place on April 1,
1997," said Secakuku.
"The Hopi Tribe urges the members of the class, who filed suit, to consider
carefully whether they want to put their faith in an appeal of the Manybeads
ruling which is likely to be upheld, or whether they want to accept the Hopi
Tribe's offer. If they choose to go with the appeal, the Hopi Tribe will
not re-open its offer once Judge Carroll issues a decision. If they want to
take the Hopi Tribe's offer, the Navajo families must do so by March 31,
1997. The choice is theirs," concluded Secakuku.