Seagulls (Solomon Islands)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: |
no
|
| PGM ID Number: |
128
|
| Country: |
Solomon Islands |
| Date formed: |
April 22, 2000 |
| Accuracy of date formed: |
year
|
| Details of Formation: |
Initially created by prime minister to fight Malaita Eagle Force, apparently part of the paramilitary police Field Force. |
| Date dissolved: |
June 5, 2000 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: |
day
|
| Details of Termination: |
Not mentioned again after the coup in June 2000. |
| Termination Type(s): |
change in government
|
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): |
none
|
| Successor group(s): |
none
|
| Private Military Company? |
no |
| Former Group? |
no |
| Former Armed Group? |
no information |
| Former Rebel Group? |
no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? |
no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: |
informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: |
yes |
Main Creating Government Institution: |
person/minister
|
| Government Link(s): |
person/minister
|
| If link to party, name of party: |
None |
| Training and Equipment: |
yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: |
yes |
| Shared Personnel: |
yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: |
domestic government
|
| State Sponsor(s): |
none
|
| Other Connection(s): |
|
Group Characteristics
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Membership: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Purpose: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: |
not applicable
|
Other Information
| Other Information: |
The members of the Seagulls belong to the Malaitans to whom prime minister Ulafa'alu belongs too. They were created to fight the militias Malaita Eagle Force (Malaitans) and the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army (Isatabus). |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: |
The government founded the group to curb militia violence and to use against the Malaita Eagle Force and the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army. The government wanted to secure its hold on power by gathering intelligence using the PGM before national elections in 2001. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use |
unknown
|
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: |
During the guerilla campaign the militia targeted civilians which led to large-scale displacement among the population. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: |
unknown
|
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? |
no information |
| PGM Members Paid? |
no information |
| Reasons for Membership: |
Former police officers were recruited, but there is no information on what their motivations were. |
| PGM Members Killed? |
no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
The militia had 15 members. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
No information. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
Prime minister Bart Ulafa'alu introduced the militia as a special police taskforce. There is no information on the chain of command. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.
Evidence
