Cecelia Fire Thunder, the suspended president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, will go before the tribal council on Thursday, June 29, for her third impeachment hearing.
The hearing was called over Fire Thunder's very public opposition to the state's restrictive abortion law. 'I got really angry about a bunch of white guys in the state Legislature making decisions about my body, again," the 59-year-old nurse told Indian Country Today in an interview.
Fire Thunder was ordered not to talk to the media but she told ICT she couldn't remain silent as Native women continue to suffer sexual and physical abuse, many of them at the hands of non-Indians. ''The abortion issue is the key that opens the padlock to sexual deviancy that is occurring on the Pine Ridge reservation," she said in the interview.
Critics say her call to open a women's clinic on the Pine Ridge Reservation went against traditional Lakota values. They say she solicited funds for the clinic in violation of tribal law.
The tribal council subsequently suspended Fire Thunder and outlawed abortion. Some tribal members have started a drive to put a ban on abortion in the tribe's constitution.
Get the Story:Fire Thunder: Halting sexual violence should lead political agenda (Indian Country Today 6/26)
Impeachment hearing set (The Rapid City Journal 6/24) Relevant Links:
Oglala Sioux Tribe - http://www.lakotamall.com/oglalasiouxtribe Related Stories:
Petition seeks to outlaw abortion at Pine Ridge (6/22)
Fire Thunder fights for job as Oglala Sioux president (6/14)
Oglala Sioux Tribe bans abortion, suspends prez (5/31)
Opinion: Native woman's power and responsibility (05/26)
Protest planned against Pine Ridge women's clinic (5/24)
Native teens said to take part in pro-life rally (04/25)
Column: Fire Thunder plans genocide of own people (04/12)
Fire Thunder challenged on abortion clinic plan (4/10)
Opinion: Tribal law and abortion clinic at Pine Ridge (4/10)
Column: Fire Thunder, strong woman on the plains (4/6)
Fire Thunder plans women's clinic on reservation (3/31)
Opinion: Oglala Sioux to massacre their children (3/29)
Fire Thunder vows fight for women's health rights (3/28)
Fire Thunder joins fight against state abortion law (3/27)
Fire Thunder creates stir with abortion law comments (3/24)
Giago: Oglala Sioux president on state abortion law (03/21)
Fire Thunder reinstated as Oglala Sioux president (01/09)
Fire Thunder removal hearing delayed a second time (12/20)
Opinion: The life story of Cecilia Fire Thunder (12/19)
Fire Thunder removal hearing delayed a week (12/13)
Oglala Sioux president confident of future (10/31)
Pine Ridge president suspended by council (10/26)
Fire Thunder: 'At times I feel like George Bush' (10/21)
Pine Ridge president disputes latest complaint (10/18)
Pine Ridge president faces another complaint (10/17)
Oglala Lakota College assumes control of Head Start (09/20)
Cecelia Fire Thunder survives suspension complaint (07/01)
Oglala Sioux Tribe secures $38M loan from tribe (06/20)
Hearing into Fire Thunder suspension delayed (6/14)
Fire Thunder defends record in advance of hearing (6/10)
Hearing set on suspension of Oglala Sioux president (6/8)
Oglala Sioux Tribe president has not been suspended (6/3)
Means loses lawsuit against Oglala Sioux election (03/09)
Oglala Sioux Tribe inaugurates Cecilia Fire Thunder (12/13)
Russell Means sues after losing Pine Ridge election (12/03)
Pressure is on Fire Thunder as Pine Ridge president (11/15)
Fire Thunder credits women for Pine Ridge victory (11/08)
Fire Thunder calls election at Pine Ridge symbolic (11/4)
Cecilia Fire Thunder declared winner at Pine Ridge (11/3)
Harjo: Pine Ridge election about character (10/29)
Russell Means arrested for missing court date (10/25)
Pine Ridge Election: Profile of Russell Means (10/22)
Pine Ridge Election: Profile of Cecilia Fire Thunder (10/21)
Russell Means, Fire Thunder to debate in Pine Ridge (10/18)
AIM leader, nurse face off in Pine Ridge election (10/8)
Russell Means top vote-getter in Pine Ridge primary (10/7)
Means says South Dakota GOP needs to do more (8/9)